rtain AGRIC. UBRARY SHORT-HORN CATTLE A SERIES OF Historical Sketches, Memoirs and Records OF THE BREED AND ITS DEVELOPMENT IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. BY ALVIN H. SANDERS, Managing Editor of " THE BREEDER'S GAZETTE.' SECOND EDITION. CHICAGO : SANDERS PUBLISHING Co. 1909. 1,,-b. Copyright, 1900, BY ALVIN H. SANDERS All rights reserved AGRIC. LIBRARY "The history of what man has accomplished in this world is, at bottom, the history of the great men who have worked here. They were the leaders of men, these great ones ; the modelers, patterns, and, in a wide sense, creators of whatso- ever the general mass of men contrived to do or to attain." — Thomas Carlyle.. 267537 TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER I— THE OLD SHORT-HORN COUNTRY AND ITS CATTLE. Some Short-horn shrines -A farmer's cow - -Grass a prime factor in cattle-growing — Birthplace and origin of the breed — Ear- liest known breeders — Some foundation stock 9-24 CHAPTER II— DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE. Faults of the old Teeswater stock — The Bakewell experiments — Ketton and Barmpton — The original Duchess cow — "The Beau- tiful Lady Maynard"— The bull Hubback— Foljambe and in- breeding — Favorite (25:3) an extraordinary sire — "The Durham Ox" — " The White Heifer That Traveled " — The " alloy " blood — As to Robert Colling — "The American Cow " — The Ketton Dispersion — The Barmpton sales — Pre-eminence of the Coil- ings .. 25-54 CHAPTER III— FOUNDATIONS OF THE BOOTH HERDS. The elder Booth — The Fairholme experiment— Some foundation sires — The Halnaby or Strawberry tribe — The Bracelets — Richard Booth at Studley — The Isabellas — John Booth at Kil- lerby 55-67 CHAPTER IV— THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES. Early studies in cattle-breeding — Original investments — The Duchess blood — Student, experimenter and exhibitor — Bulls first used on the Duchesses — From Halton to Ridley Hall— Re- moval to Kirklevington— Belvedere (1706) of the Princess blood — The cross of Whitaker 's Norfolk— The Matchem cow and the Oxfords — A show-yard disappointment— The Oxford Royal of 1839 — Prizes at Cambridge — A "brush" with the Booths — Duke of Northumberland (1940) —Importance of tabulated ped- igrees—The Waterloos — Wild Eyes Tribe— The Cambridge (Red) Roses — Foggathorpe family — Blanche or Roan Duchess sort — The Secrets — So-called Bell-Bates tribes —Last appear- ance in show-yard — Dispersion of the herd — Sixty-four Duch- ess females— Individual character of the cattle. .. .< .. 68-116 (5) VI TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER V— PALMY DAYS AT KILLERBY AND WAR- LABY Bracelet and Necklace — Buckingham — John Booth's sale— War- laby and its show-yard wonders— Faith, Hope and Charity— Crown Prince (10087)— Isabella Buckingham and other celeb- rities—The Blossoms and Windsor (4013) — Bride, Brides- maid and Bride Elect — The quartette of " Queens "— Vivandiere, Campfollower and Soldier's Bride — Death of Richard Booth — The Booth method of breeding 117-142 CHAPTER VI— OTHER EMINENT ENGLISH BREEDERS. Lord Althorpe (Earl Spencer) — Jonas Whitaker— Wetherell, the "Nestor" of the trade — Wiley of Brandsby — The Knightley "Fillpails" — Fawkes of Farnley Hall -William Torr-The long roll of honor .. ..- 143-163 CHAPTER VII— FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA. Character of the Gough & Miller cattle— Kentucky and the Patton stock — An early New York importation — The Cox importation — The first pedigreed bulls — The " Seventeens "— Massachu- setts importations — Early New York importations— Col. Pow- el's purchases — Ancestress of the Louans — Walter Dun's im- portations 164-188 CHAPTER VIII— DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS Feeding for seaboard markets — Ohio Importing Company — Felix Renick and confreres in England -Whitaker's selections of 1835 and 1836 — Sale of Oct. 29, 1836— Final sale in 1837 — Thos. Bates to Felix Renick — Mr. Clay's importations to Kentucky — Dr. Martin's importation of 1839 — R. Hutchcraft's importation — Fayette County Importing Co.— Importations into Tennessee — William Neff's importation — Wait and other importations — First Bates bull for Kentucky 189-224 CHAPTER IX— EASTERN IMPORTATIONS -1830 to 1850. New York importations — Vail's purchases of Bates cattle— Whit- aker's shipments to America — Introduction of Princess blood — Miscellaneous importations 225-237 CHAPTER X— SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY IN AMERICA. The first "Duke " for America — Morris and Becar — The Earl Ducie sale in England— Thorndale and the Duchesses — Revival of in- terest in the West — Scioto Valley Importing Co.— Madison Co. TABLE OF CONTENTS. Vll {O.) Co.— Northern Kentucky Association — Scott Co. (Ky.) Im- porting Co.— Clinton Co. (O.) Association— Clark Co. (O.) Co.— R. A. Alexander of Woodburn — First of the Airdrie Duchesses — The Alexander importation of July, 1853 — Subsequent ship- ments to Woodburn Farm — Importations by the Shakers — James S. Matson (Kentucky) — Wilson & Seawright (O.) — Mason and Bracken (Kentucky) Association — Livingston Co. (N. Y.) Association — Thomas Richardson (New York) — Dr. H. Wendell (New York) — J. O. Sheldon (New York)-R. F. Nichols (Louisiana) — First importations into Indiana — An early importation to Wisconsin — The Illinois Importing Co.— Founding of the American Herd Book 238-286 CHAPTER XI— SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. A new era dawns — Duke of Airdrie (12730)— George M. Bedford's lease of "The Duke " — Jere Duncan and Duke of Airdrie 2743— Abram Renick and Airdrie 2478 — Airdrie a bull-breeder — In- breeding of the Rose of Sharons — The Vanmeters — Young Phyllis — Young Mary — The Warflelds — Renick 903— Musca- toon 7057— The Loudon Duchesses — Adoption of Bates type and methods 287-332 CHAPTER XII— PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. I'irst Illinois herds — Early Indiana breeders — Pioneer breeders of Michigan — First Short-horns west of the Mississippi — Foun- dation stock in Iowa — Early Wisconsin herds — Activity in the show-yard— Wm. R. Duncan and Minister 6363— J. M. Hill's sale — J. H. Pickrell — Sweepstakes 6230— Gen. Grant 4825 — Baron Booth of Lancaster 333-376 CHAPTER XIII— THE BIRTH OP A "BOOM." 1 Royal " honors for Bates cattle — Duchesses exported to England — The Grand Duchesses — Havering Park sale — Sheldon of Ge- neva—Geneva cattle abroad — Walcott & Campbell — First Hillhurst importations — Gibson buys Booths for New York Mills — Sensational transfer of the Sheldon herd — "Duke" bulls in demand — The McMillan sale— Col. William S. King— The Lyndale show herd— Tycoon 7339— King's victory at St Louis — W. R. Duncan's sale — The beginning of live-stock jour- nalism. 377-417 CHAPTER XIV— AN ERA OF EXPANSION. Hillhurst and Lyndale operations— Exportations to England — Clark Co. (Ky.) Importing Co.— High prices in Illinois— The great trade of 1872— Oakland Favorite 30546 and Loudon Duke 6th 10399— The first National convention— Opposition to pre- vailing " fashions " developed 418-433 TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER XV— THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THREE. Spring sales of 1873 — Dunmore's big deal — Summer sales — New York Mills dispersion — Kello's mistake— Sources of deteriora- tion— 4th Duke of Geneva — English sales of 1873 434-458 CHAPTER XVI— A GOLDEN AGE. Spring sales of 1 874 — Lyndale sale at Dexter Park — Other Western events — Kentucky summer sales — Closing events of 1874 — The sales of 1875 — Glen Flora dispersion — Kissinger's sale - Elliott & Kent — Spears and the Nelly Blys — Pickrell's great sale — Jacobs' sale at West Liberty — Dexter Park auctions — The Avery & Murphy sale — Long prices at Meredith's — Airdrie Duchesses at $18,000 each — Big sales in the Blue Grass — Push- ing the Princesses — The Trans-Mississippi trade — $3,500 fora Scotch heifer — Groom importations and sale — Other important- transactions — All records broken at Dunmore — Torr's Triumph — Additional importations — Another Renick exportation — North Elkhorn (Ky.) importation — Closing events of 1875. . . 459-509 CHAPTER XVII— THE TURN OF THE TIDE. Hon. George Brown and Bow Park — 4th Duke cf Clarence — Opening sales of 1876— Potts buys imp. Duke of Richmond— Col. Hol- loway's big average — Albert Crane pays $23,600 for an Airdrie Duchess— $17,900 for 14th Duke of Thorndale — Closing events of 1876 — Pickrell & Kissenger — Spring sales of 1877 — Cochrane at Windermere — Sale summary for 1877 — A falling market — Top prices in England for 1878 — Dark days of 1879— The rally of 1880— The Vaile and Rumsey importations — Sales of 1881 — A new era at hand — Injudicious breeding — Evils of speculation — The spur of opposition — Scotch cattle to the fore. .. . 510-548 CHAPTER XVIII— SCOTLAND'S SEARCHING TEST. "Caledonia stern and wild "— Science, "roots" and Short-horns — Feed-lot considerations paramount — Crossing the border — Robertson of Ladykirk — Rennie of Phantassie — Barclay of Ury— Hutcheson of Monyruy— Grant Duff of Eden — Brawith Bud— Simpson and Buchan Hero— Hay of Shethin 549-575 CHAPTER XIX— AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. A new type sought— The brothers Cruickshank— The farm at Sit- ty ton — General plan pursued — The first of the Violets — Venus tribe— The family of Mimulus — Picotee and her progeny— The Matchless sort — The Broadhooks— Origin of the Lady tribe — The Nonpareils — Sittyton Butterflys — Orange Blossoms — Ad- mah, Kilmeny 3d, and Eliza by Brutus — Clipper tribe — The TABLE OF CONTENTS. ix Victorias— The Lancasters —The Brawith Buds — Duchesses of Gloster — The Secrets — The Cicely sort — Avalanche — Violette — The Lovelys — Barmpton Roses— The Spicys — The Laven- ders—First Sittyton bulls — Fairfax Royal (6987) — Hudson (9228), Report (10704) and Velvet Jacket (10998)— Matadore (11800) — Plantagenet (11906) —Doctor Buckingham (14405) —The Baron (13833) — Lord Bathurst (15173) — Master Butterfly 2d (14918)— John Bull (11618)— Lord Raglan (13244)— The Czar (20947) — Lancaster Comet (11663) — Champion of England (17526) —Windsor Augustus (19157) —Forth (17866) —Lord Privy Seal (16444) —Prince Alfred (27107) — Other outside bulls — Con- centration of the Champion of England blood — Scotland's Pride and Pride of the Isles — Caesar Augustus — Royal Duke of Glos- ter — Roan Gauntlet — Barmpton — Cumberland 576-644 CHAPTER XX— OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS. Douglas of Athelstaneford — Campbell of Kinellar — The Nonpa- reils, Miss Ramsdens and Golden Drops — Early Kinellar sires — Booth cross disappointing — Marr of Uppermill — The Maudes — The Missies — The Princess Royals — The Alexandrinas — The Roan or Red Ladys — The Bessies — The Claras —The Emmas — TheGoldies — Sittyton sorts — Early sires at Uppermill — Heir . of Englishman (24122) — Cherub 4th (83359) — Athabasca (47359) — William of Orange (50694) —Later Sittyton sires at UppermiH — Lethenty — Collynie 645-670 CHAPTER XXI— RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. Early importations into Ontario — First Sittyton cattle in Canada — The Athelstane blood — Cruickshank cattle at the shows — Violet's Forth — The Golden Drops — Thompson's other impor- tations—John Miller's first shipment— James I. Davidson — Hon. John Dryden — Arthur Johnston — Miscellaneous Canadian importations — The lies importation into Illinois — Robt. Milne of Kelvin Grove — Lowman and Smiths' importation — Scotch success at the shows — Potts and the Duke of Richmond— The Fanny Airdrie " nick " — Frederick William and " the twins " — A line of Cruickshank sires — Twenty years in the show-yard — The Wilhoit herd 671-711 CHAPTER XXII— CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. Sale of the Hillhurst Duchesses — Richard Gibson's sale of 1882 — Woodburn sale of 1882— The Huston-Gibson sale — Palmer's sale of Scotch cattle - Kentucky Importing Co. of 1883 — Sale of Pickrell, Thomas & Smith — Kentucky summer sales of 1883 — Sale of the Holford Duchesses — The Hamiltons — Col. W. A. Harris of Linwood — Success of Baron Victor — The Linwood Golden Drops — Baron Lavender 2d— Imp. Craven Knight— A X TABLE OF CONTENTS. search for sires — Princess Alice — Linwood's salutary influence — J. J. Hill of North Oaks — Hope's show herds of 1887 and 1889 — Luther Adams' importations— The shipment of 1887 — Cup- bearer bought — West Liberty sale— The memorable purchase of 1887 — Lakeside's show herd of 1888— Third and last lot- Last successful Duchess sale— Sale of the Sittyton herd — The Cruickshank cows at Collynie — Field Marshal and Mario — Scottish Archer and Count Lavender — Argentine and the sham- bles—Summary of Sittyton sales — Moberley and Young Ab- bottsburn — Mary Abbottsburn 7th— Forest Grove sale— Wood- burn dispersion — Columbian Exposition awards — Recent im- portations — Herd-book consolidation 712-79B CHAPTER XXIII— A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED. Universal adaptability — Feed-lot favorites — " Prime Scots" — Smithfleld Club — American Fat-Stock Show — On the range— Dairy capacity — State fair tests — The Columbian records — — The Wisconsin experiment — Official records in Iowa — Fig- ures from New York — Polled Durhams 800-838 CHAPTER XXIV— THE LAMP OP EXPERIENCE. What constitutes success? — Inbreeding — Herd-book registration — Color — Handling quality — Constitution, character and con- formation—Primary points in management — Does showing pay? —Selling the surplus — About animal portraiture— Tribal designation — Dignity of the breeder's calling — The future. . . 839-872 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. THE 8TH (RED) AND IOTH (ROAN) DUCHESS OF GENEVA. Frontispiece. CHARLES AND ROBERT COLLING FACING PAGE 25 KETTON HALL t 30 "WHITE HEIFER THAT TRAVELLED'." .. .. .. .. 41 COMET (155) 49 THOMAS BOOTH 55 THOMAS BATES . . . . 68 DUCHESS BY DAISY BULL (186) 74 KETTON IST (709) 74 BELVEDERE (1706) 84 CLEVELAND LAD (3407) 90 NORFOLK (2377) 90 "PET" DUCHESS 34TH 96 DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND (1940). 101 DUCHESS 42o AND DUCHESS 43o 108 WARLABY HOUSE. . . . . 117 NECKLACE * 120 BRACELET. 120 BIRTHDAY 126 VIVANDIERE. 126 COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF (21451) 137 LADY FRAGRANT. 142 AT THE GATES OF WOODBURN 238 FELIX RENICK 277 CAPT. JAMES N. BROWN 277 GEN. SOL MEREDITH 277 THOMAS WILHOIT . . . . 277 ABRAM RENICK B. F. VANMETER GEORGE M. BEDFORD. . . 287 WILLIAM WARFIELD. IMP. DUKE OF AIRDRIE (12730) 301 LOUDON DUCHESS 2o AND DAUGHTER. J. H. PICKRFLL COL. WILLIAM S. KING .. •• ••• ..333 (H) Xll LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. J. H. KISSINGEB. 833 J. H. SPEARS 333 BARON BOOTH or LANCASTER 7535 369 COL. WILLIAM S. KING'S PRIZE HERD 409 SIMON BEATTIE 434 RICHARD GIBSON . . . . 434 JOHN R. PAGE 434 JOHN THORNTON. . . . . . . . 434 14TH DUKE OF THORNDALE (28459) 459 4TH DUKE or GENEVA (30958) 459 GEORGE W. RUST . . . . . . 467 HON. T. C. JONES 467 COL. JAMES W. JUDY 467 LEWIS P. ALLEN . . 467 WILLIAM TORR 497 T. C. BOOTH. 497 HIGHLAND FLOWER . . . . 503 IOTH DUCHESS OF AIRDRIE 510 IMP. MAID OF HONOR 510 HON. H. M. COCHRANE'S SALE. 527 AMOS CRUICKSHANK 576 SITTTTON HOUSE 644 THE "STEADING" AT UPPERMILL 655 A GLIMPSE OF COLLTNIE. . . ' . . . . 669 J. H. POTTS & SON'S SHOW HERD. 671 YOUNG ABBOTTSBURN 110679 712 COL. W. A. HARRIS 727 T. S. MOBERLEY 727 WILLIAM MILLER 727 J. H. POTTS 727 ROYAL HERO 113611 .. 742 JAMES I. DAVIDSON. 748 JOHN DRYDEN .. .. .. 748 HON. M. H. COCHRANE. . . 748 JOHN HOPE 748 WILLIAM DUTHIE . . . . 752 J. DEANE WILLIS 752 S. CAMPBELL. 752 W. S. MARR 752 NEW YEAR'S GIFT (57796) 759 FIELD MARSHAL (47870) „ . 772 RESIDENCE OF DEANE WILLIS OF BAPTON MANOR. .. 776 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. ELVIRA OP BROWNDALE 3D AND CALF 792 ST. VALENTINE 121014. . . . . 795 IMP. BARON CRUICKSHANK 106297 795 RUBERTA AND ROSE O'GRADT 798 WILD QUEEN 2o 800 WHISKERS 800 JOHN D. GILLETT 809 DOWAGER 3D 822 MOLLY MILLICENT 822 JEWEL 2o 824 KITTY CLAY 4TH 829 SCHOOLER 829 COLLEGE MOORE 832 COLLEGE BELLE 2o 833 ROWENA 2o 835 Miss BELLADRUM GTH. 839 BAPTON PEARL. .. 848 CICELY. .. ..> .. .. 848 BREED TYPES SHOWN BY PHOTOGRAPHY 858 SHOW HERD OF GEORGE HARRISON 863 CHAMPION AGED HERD 1904 865 FAIR QUEEN 869 I * CHAPTER L THE OLD SHORT-HORN COUNTRY AND ITS CATTLE. One bright morning in the month of June a few years since the writer was a passenger in a vehicle that emerged from the environs of the comfortable little city of Darlington, Eng- land— once the Short-horn capital — into the open country so familiar a century ago to those rare old worthies who gave to the world the breed that forms the subject of our story. Rural England at this season of the year will stir the blood of any human being who has any capacity whatever for the appreciation of pastoral panoramas. When to the natural beauty of the landscape is added the charm of historic association and congenial companion- ship it is indeed not difficult for a lover of Short- horns to while away a summer holiday in the peaceful valley of the river Tees and contigu- ous territory in York and Durham, the ances- tral home of the breed. Some Short-horn shrines. — Here are the grassy lanes of Hurworth, where the dani of (9) 10 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLBo Hubback grazed; there the farms once occu- pied by Charles and Robert Colling; yonder Yarm with its quaint old market-place and Black Bull Inn. This cluster of cottages, nest- ling amidst sheltering vines and flowering laburnums, holds the unpretentious roof of Thomas Bates, and marks also the historic little church-yard of Kirklevington with the tomb of the man to whom Short-horn history is primarily indebted for the 'most dramatic event ever registered in the annals of agricul- ture.* We try to recall the figure of the keen old bachelor, but we seek in vain through the now-deserted fields for Belvedere, the Duke of Northumberland or Duchess 34th. That typi- cal English hamlet of ye olden time — Great Smeaton — shows the house where Coates, the father of Short-horn pedigree records, com- piled his earliest notes. Away over the hills is Eryholme, with its memories of "the beau- tiful Lady Maynard," and nearing the Tees at Croft a portrait of the $5,000 Comet still greets the eye on the sign-board of a wayside inn; while over the way is Stapleton, the farm where the famous old bull was buried. Passing from the train at Northallerton and mounting a trap in waiting we are soon on a perfect English roadway bound for one of the * The International contest for the possession of tne Batea Duchesses at blow York Mills in 1873, when 198 head of Short-horn cattle sold for the astonishing total of $380,490. THE OLD SHORT-HORN COUNTRY, 11 most celebrated seats of Short-horn power. Wending our way between vine-clad walls and hawthorn hedges we traverse a gently-rolling Yorkshire landscape having for a background the distant Cleveland hills. Lost in admira- tion at the moving picture, not wholly unlike the fairest portions of the Blue-Grass region of Central Kentucky, we presently sight "red, white and roans" in all their glory, up to their knees in richest grass, on a sod that represents the growth of centuries. A Short-horn enthu- siast's heart beats high as he here approaches Warlaby and passing through a velvety lawn stands at the threshold so sacred to the house of Booth. There is a word to conjure with! Redolent with its recollections of Crown Prince, Queen of the May, Nectarine Blossom, Bride Elect and other names that hold a place in the great galaxy of Short-horn "immortals"! " Many a valuable cup and hard-won medal may there be seen. The portrait of many a prize-taker decorates its rooms; and many a pleasant hour has been spent and ancient story told in this quiet Short-horn home, while the genuine old squire 'refilled his pipe and showed how fields were won.' ' Away in the bleaker Northland, far beyond those beauteous English scenes bounded by "Tweed's fair river, broad and deep," is a Cale- donian cottage hid away in one of tha prettiesl 12 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. little gardens fancy can portray. So cosily does it seem ensconced that the wintry blasts from the neighboring German ocean surely lose a part of their hyperborean rigor before they reach that quiet fireside. We are in far- off Aberdeen. A white-haired octogenarian, Amos Cruickshank, there awaited the peaceful ending of a life that proved eminently useful to his fellow men, pure and elevating in its character, and fruitful of results to the Short- horn world. Modestly the Nestor of North Country cattle-breeding told us something of his life and work. We left him, the sage of Sittyton, standing there amidst the greenery of his shrubs and flowers, and as we looked around upon the fields and paddocks that once held Champion of England, Pride of the Isles, Roan Gauntlet and Royal Northern, and High- land winners by the score, we felt the spell of a wondrous story brooding over those silent Scottish "braes." What have these men, their colleagues and their followers, accomplished? What is the na- ture of their legacy? Let us first turn for par- tial answer to the world's greatest exhibition of live stock and agricultural products. We are under the medieval walls of Castle War- wick. The flower of British Short-horn herds is assembled in the park. The meeting of the Royal Agricultural Society of England is THE OLD SHORT-HORN COUNTRY. 13 in progress. The ripe fruit of generations of careful breeding is before us. We note the size and excellence of the various classes as they came forward upon that occasion to be judged; the "bloom" and the wealth of flesh and hair! We turn to our catalogue. All trace at last to that same little valley of the Tees; some through Kirklevington, some through Warlaby, some through Sittyton, and some through other channels found in the broad-flowing currents of the breed. The crowds throng about the arena, where prince and peasant, great land-owners and tenant farmers and visitors from every clime meet to do honor to England's most widely-dissemi- nated race of domesticated animals, and, indi- rectly, to bear testimony to the noble service rendered to the cause of agriculture by the builders of this breed. A farmer's cow. — The average farmer, as distinguished from the dairyman and profes- sional feeder, maintaining cattle as an inci- dental, albeit necessary, feature of a well- ordered system of mixed husbandry, requires not only milk, cream and butter in good sup- ply for domestic consumption, but the cows that provide him with those products are also expected to raise a calf each year that can be profitably utilized in consuming the grass and "roughness" of the farm; so that the males 14 A. HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. will command a fair price as yearlings and two-year-olds for feeding purposes and the heifers possess the requisite size and quality f tting them for retention in the breeding herd. Hence the necessity for a combined beef-and- milk-producing breed for general farm pur- poses. It is claimed by those who support its con- tentions that the .Short-horn blood produces "the farmer's cow" par excellence of the world. The females often reach in full flesh 1,800 Ibs. in weight, occasionally making 2,000 Ibs., and with good farm keep at maturity should aver- age say 1,400 Ibs. in working condition. Aged bulls in high flesh occasionally weigh up to 2,800 Ibs., but experienced breeders prefer sires that average from 2,000 Ibs. to 2,400 Ibs., ex- treme weights not oeing generally favored. In color they are red, roan, red with white mark- ings or white. In Great Britain, the home of the breed, the roans predominate. This is indeed the one distinctive Short-horn color, never produced except by the presence of the blood of this breed. In America reds have been in special demand for some years past purely as a matter of fancy, although the other colors — save perhaps the pure whites — are also seen in nearly every herd. Good Short-horn cows should yield a fair flow of milk as well as fatten readily when dry. The steers possess THE OLD SHORT-HORN COUNTRY. 15 smooth, level frames, mature quickly on the ordinary foods of the farm and are in great demand for feeding purposes. The bulls "cross" well upon cows of other types, being especially valued for leveling and refining the form of stock lacking size, finish and quality. Grass a prime factor in cattle-growing. — England, the home of the Short-horn, with its moist, equable climate, is a veritable paradise for herbivorous animals. During those trying months when American pastures lie brown and bare under a fierce midsummer sun those of England still afford green feed. Our blue-grass fields in June are luxuriant beyond compare, and in late autumnal days usually regain for a time much of their earlier splendor, but the season of uninterrupted grazing in England is longer and the pastures carry a greater variety of plants. While John Bull, therefore, owes much of his fame as a producer of the flesh- bearing breeds to the persistency of the island verdure it has remained, nevertheless, for an American to furnish agricultural literature with a fitting tribute to "the universal benefi- cence of grass." Not in the midst of the peer- less pastures of old England, but on the rolling prairies of our own breezy "Sunflower State" of Kansas Senator Ingalls found his inspiration. "It yields no fruit in earth or air, yet should its 16 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. harvest fail for a single year famine would de- populate the world/'* From time immemorial it has been the mis- sion of the herd and flock to convert this rich fruitage of the earth to the use of man, and one of the crowning triumphs of modern agriculture is found in the perfection to which domestic ani- mals especially adapted to this end have been brought. England has easily taken the lead of all other nations in this fascinating and emi- * Readers of THE BREEDER'S GAZETTE have often expressed the wish that this rhetorical gem might be given permanent setting in some form. It was originally a part of a magazine article written by Mr. Ingalls many years ago. The much-admired passage is accordingly given a place here: "Next in importance to the divine profusion of water, light and air, '.hose three physical facts which render existence possible, may be reck- oned the universal beneficence of grass. Lying in the sunshine among the buttercups and dandelions of May, scarcely higher in intelligence than those minute tenants of that mimic wilderness, our earliest recollections are of grass; and when the fitful fever is ended, and the foolish wrangle ct the market and the forum is closed, grass heals over the scar which our descent into the bosom of the earth has made, and the carpet of the infant becomes the blanket of the dead. "Grass is the forgiveness of Nature— her constant benediction. Fields trampled with battle, saturated with blood, torn with the ruts of cannon, rr?w green again with grass, and carnage is forgotten. Streets abandoned by traffic become grass-grown, like rural lanes, and are obliterated. For- ests decay, harvests perish, flowers vanish, but grass is immortal. Be- teagured by the sullen hosts of winter it withdraws into the impregnable fortress of its subterranean vitality and emerges upon the solicitation of spring. Sown by the winds, by wandering birds, propagated by the subtle horticulture of the elements which are its ministers and servants, it softens the rude outlines of the world. It evades the solitude of deserts, climbs the inaccessible slopes and pinnacles of mountains, and modifies the history, character and destiny of nations. Unobtrusive and patient, it has immortal vigor and aggression. Banished from the thoroughfare and fields, it bides its time to return, and when vigilance is relaxed or the dynasty has perished it silently resumes the throne from which it has been expelled but which it never abdicates. It bears no blazonry of bloom to charm the senses with fragrance or splendor, but its homely hue is more enchanting than the lily or the rose. It yields no fruit in earth or air, yet should its harvest fail for a single year famine would depopulate the world." THE OLD SHORT-HORN COUNTRY. 17 nently practical pursuit, and in the Short-horn breed of cattle has given to the world a vari- ety of farm stock that has probably been more widely distributed than any other known type. It has not only received by reason of its dual- purpose character more attention at the hands of the tenant farmers and landed proprietors of Great Britain and Ireland than any other British breed, but has a firm hold upon the affec- tions of the farmers of the United States and Canada under varying environments. It has been extensively introduced into Australia and Argentina and has a foothold in the grazing regions about the South African Cape. Conti- nental Europe with all its conservatism has drawn frequently upon British Short-horn herds — France in particular maintaining good collections of registered stock. It has peculiar claims, therefore, to the title sometimes be- stowed upon it as being " the one great cosmo- politan breed." Birthplace and origin of the breed. — The Short-horn— or "Durham" as formerly called by many farmers in the United States— is of composite origin, representing the result of generations of skillful blending of various ab- original types. While its long period of incu- bation is shrouded in more or less uncertainty there is no question either as to its original habitat or its ancient lineage. Traditions, as 18 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. well as authentic records, recognized the pro- genitors of the modern type in the Counties of Northumberland, Durham, York and Lincoln for several centuries prior to the final crystal- lization of the breed in and about the Tees- water Valley. So much of a speculative char- acter has been published relating to the grad- ual evolution in Northeastern England of the established type of which we write that it is not essential, nor would it be of any special profit, for us to undertake to travel extensively over that uncertain ground in this volume. For centuries it is said that Northern England was the home* of a horned black breed, and black cattle predominated in Yorkshire and adjacent counties until the seventeenth cen- tury. At this date two other well-known types existed in England, the apied" cattle of Lin- colnshire, with "more white than other colors," and the red stock of Somerset and Gloucester- shire. By the middle of the eighteenth cen- tury, although the Yorkshire cattle were still largely black, mixed colors began to make their appearance. "But of all the cows in England," wrote William Ellis in 1744, "I think none comes up to the Holderness breed for their wide bags, short horns and large bodies, which render them (whether black or red) the most profitable beasts for the dairyman, grazier and butcher. Some of them have yielded two THE OLD SHORT-HORN COUNTRY. 19 or three gallons at a meal." This type took its name from the district of Holderness in South- eastern Yorkshire, About this time cattle were imported from continental Europe into the Eastern counties. These consisted chiefly of large white Dutch or Flanders cows. It is also said that bulls were brought in from Holland and used on some of the herds of York and Durham. These Dutch cattle should not, how- ever, be confused with the modern Holstein- Friesians. It is said that Michael Dobinson and Sir William St. Quintin— both of whom were among the earliest possessors of old-time short-horned herds — imported and used Dutch bulls. These various types were all of a very crude sort when contrasted with the breed finally evolved from them, and as we are more interested in the result than in speculation as to the remote origin of the race we need not dwell upon them. Earliest known breeders. — It is claimed that a short-horned type of cattle existed on the Yorkshire estates of the Earls and Dulies of Northumberland for a period of two hundred years prior to 1780. Herds of short-horned stock had also been in the possession of the Smithsons of Stan wick as early as the middle of the seventeenth century. The Aislabies of Studley Royal and Blacketts of Newby were likewise fond of good cattle and paid great at- 20 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. tention to the quality of their herds about this same period. Other prominent breeders prior to the year 1780 were Sir William St. Quintin, Sir James Pennyman* and Mr. Milbank of Barningham. The latter secured some of his cattle from the Blacketts, but his reputation rests largely upon his use of the famous red- and-white Studley Bull (626), calved in 1737, that became the progenitor of many celebrated animals. Between the years 1730 and 1780 many eminent breeders gave their attention to the improvement of their cattle, among them, besides those already mentioned, being Sharter, Pickering, Stephenson, Wetherell, Maynard, Dobinson, Charge, Wright, Hutchinson, Robson, Snowdon, Waistell, Richard and William Bar- ker, Brown, Hall, Hill, Best, Watson, Baker, Thompson, Jackson, Smith, Jolly, Masterman, Wallace and Robertson. These names we find as breeders of the earliest cattle whose names and pedigrees are recorded in the first volume of the English Herd Book. It may be well to know that as this herd book was not published until the year 1822 — some thirty or forty years * To induce his tenants to pay more attention to the quality of their stock Sir James is said to have frequently made small wagers as to whose oxen would weigh the most and bring the best prices. Cadwallader Bates says: "The farm accounts commencing from 1745 regularly recorded the sales of Pennyman Short-horns, with their weight and proof in tallow, for they were very often sold by weight. As the soil there is a strong clay no turnips were grown, and the cattle were kept in winter on only hay and straw. Notwithstanding this, the five-year-old steers generally averaged about 1,960 IDS." THE OLD SHORT-HORN COUNTRY. 21 after the decease of many of those we have mentioned — tradition, and the memory of men then living, as well as the written records of their predecessors, were the authorities on which the lineage of the earlier animals were admitted to record. Some foundation stock, — The Studley Bull (626), dropped in 1737, was one of the first great stock-getters of the breed of which there is record. The herd book furnishes no particu- lars concerning him, but he is described by competent contemporary authority as having been a red-and-white " possessed of wonderful girth and depth of forequarters, very short, neat frame and light offal." One of his sons, "Mr. Lakeland's bull," said to have attained great size and to have carried a good back, begot William Barker's Bull (51), that acquired reputation as the sire of another one of the breed-founders known as "James Brown's Red Bull (97)." This noted bull was bred by John Thompson of Girlington Hall. At this date it was not customary to preserve the name or even a description of the cows from which sires in service were descended. The, pedigree was traced through the bull line exclusively. Hence there is no record as to the maternal ancestry of these foundation sires. Mr. Coates, who collected the material for the first volume of the herd book, which still bears his name, 22 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. had intended that a description of the most noted animals should appear in the public reg- istry. Although this plan was not adopted in the final revision of the book his notes on many of the earlier sires have nevertheless been pre- served. From these it appears that " J. Brown's old red bull" had "good fore quarters and handle,* huggins and rumps not good, strong thighs, excellent getter." The progeny of this bull was apparently held in great esteem, and some of his daughters subsequently attained much reputation, one becoming the ancestress of the afterwards celebrated Bates Duchess tribe, and another was the ancestral dam of Eobert Colling's old Red Rose sort. The most famous of all the foundation bulls, however, was Hubback (319), his influence hav- ing been so great as to require special comment in these pages further on. Many bulls are re- corded in the first volume of the English Herd Book that lived anterior to the year 1780, but aside from their names and that of a sire, and sometimes a grandsire, little or nothing seems to have been recorded of their ancestry, and nothing beyond can now be known of them. Among these, in addition to those already named, are Ralph Alcock's Bull (19), Allison's Gray Bull (26), J. Brown's White Bull (98), Hol- lon's Bull (313), Jolly's Bull (337), Kitt (357), * This refers evidently to his " touch," as the handling- qualities of breed- ins stock were carefully regarded by the original improvers of the breed. THE OLD SHORT-HORN COUNTRY. 23 Masterman's Bull (422), Paddock's Bull (477), William Robson's Bull (538), Sir James Penny- man's Bull (601), Jacob Smith's Bull (508), T. Smith's Bull (609), Snowdon's Bull (612), sire of Hubback (319); Studley White Bull (627), got by Studley Bull (626); Waistell's Bull (669), the same as Robson's Bull (558) ; and Walker's Bull (670), the same as Masterman's Bull (422), by Studley Bull (626). Of the cows contemporary with the bulls we have named few, if any, are recorded in either the first or subsequent volumes. We can, therefore, only infer that the cows were equally as well and carefully bred as the bulls. Cattle fairs (not shows in the sense of our modern ex- hibitions), where beasts were taken to market for sale, were then, as now, common in Eng- land, and probably many well-bred cows and heifers were brought there for sale by their breeders and owners. These were doubtless taken by breeders of good cattle when the blood and quality were considered satisfactory and bred to the best bulls. From such market cows descended the more immediate ancestors of many celebrated Short-horns. It is no dis- paragement to those nameless cows that such is the fact, as very few pedigrees can now be traced by name on the female side beyond the year 1780, and but comparatively few beyond the year 1800. 24 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. The earliest recorded pedigree in the female line known to Short-horn records is that which has long been referred to in England and America as the Princess family, tracing to the cow Tripes, bought by Thomas Hall in 1760. CHAPTER II. DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE. The attention given by the sturdy tenantry of the Teeswater country to the production of a superior grade of beef at this early date, as indicated by the roster of names set forth in the preceding chapter, was the response of the farmers of that district to the demands of Anglo-Saxon taste. On the opposite or conti- nental shore of the German Ocean dairy prod- ucts were esteemed an especial delicacy; and so the low countries gradually became the home of what subsequently developed into the Holstein-Friesian breed. But the fox-hunting Yorkshire "squires," and the bon vivants of " merrie England " generally, demanded some- thing more substantial at their banquet boards. Rich " barons " of well-marbled beef appealed particularly to the palates of the hearty Brit- ons, and right royally did the stock-growers of the Island meet the call. Widespread interest in the breeding of fine cattle developed. At Darlington, Durham Yarm and other central points market fairs, the forerunners of our (35) 26 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. modern shows, had begun to attract all the progressive farmers, feeders and graziers of the country-side both far and near. Each of those who took pride in cattle vied with the other in the exhibition of good specimens of the Tees- water type; and we can easily imagine with what absorbing interest these breed-builders compared the relative merits of their stock and with what satisfaction they noted the prog- ress being made. Herd books were not in ex- istence. Blood lines were known only by word of mouth or by sundry traditions; but they were a superior class of men, these pioneers in the study of the Jaws of heredity as applied to animal life, and their local fairs were at once a forum and a market-place. Short-horn "par- liaments," far-reaching in their_ influence, as- sembled upon these occasions, frequently with some favorite bull or heifer as the storm cen- ter of debate. Then, as now, men differed as to the form of animals and methods of breed- ing to be pursued. There were few if any servile imitators. There was no established type or fashion to rule the hour. It was the formative stage in the evolution of the Short- horn as known to the succeeding generation, and each individual sought results largely after the dictates of his own personal judgment. Would that some of this same independence of thought and action might be brought to bear DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE. 27 in the settlement of problems facing those who are endeavoring to perpetuate Short-horn characteristics at the present time! Faults of the old Teeswater stock.— The Short-horn of that day was not only lacking in uniformity in some essential points but as a breed possessed serious faults calling for radi- cal treatment. Possibly as accurate a state- ment as has been handed down bearing upon the character of the old Teeswater stock, which formed the basis of "the improved Short-horn," is that of William Carr, the historian of the afterward-celebrated herds of the Messrs. Booth. He says that the best specimens of the breed at that time were " generally wide- backed, well-framed cows, deep in their fore quarters, soft and mellow in their hair and ' handling ' and possessing, with average milk- ing qualities, a remarkable disposition to fat- ten. Their horns were rather longer than those of their descendants of the present day and inclining upward. The defects were those of an undue prominence of the hip and shoul- der point, a want of length in the hind quar- ters, of width in the floor of the chest, of fullness generally before and behind the shoul- ders, as well as of flesh upon the shoulder itself. They had a somewhat disproportionate abdomen, were too long in the legs and showed a want of substance, indicative of delicacy, in 28 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. the hide. They failed also in the essential requisite of taking on their flesh evenly and firmly over the whole frame, which frequently gave them an unlevel appearance. There was, moreover, a general want of compactness in their conformation." The Bakewell Experiments. — Robert Bake- well of Dishley, a Leicestershire farmer, worked out about this period a system of stock-breed- ing that was destined to play henceforth a prominent part, not only in the development of the Short-horn but in the evolution of nearly all our other improved breeds as well. What- ever may have been the practice of the ancients in respect to the coupling of animals closely related it remained for Bakewell to demon- strate to the stock-breeders of the last century that in the concentration of the blood of animals possessing desired characteristics a method was provided whereby results could be quickly and definitely attained. This idea was diametrically opposed to the principles and practice governing the operations of BakewelPs contemporaries. Incestuous breeding of ani- mals was held in abhorrence, and when Bake- well began breeding long-wooled sheep, Lan- cashire Long-horned cattle and cart horses from close affinities his neighbors gave him credit for being somewhat daft. He was a man of con- siderable means at the beginning of his experi- DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE. 29 ments, and brought more or less scientific knowledge to bear upon his work. His system contemplated first the selection of foundation stock approximating in form and character as closely as possible the type he sought to estab- lish. With these as a basis their immediate descendants were interbred in such a way as to give a strong concentration of the blood of the original selections. The idea was of course the creation of a family likeness or type — a group of animals homogeneous in blood and uniform in characteristics. Resort to fresh blood was only had when an animal was found elsewhere that possessed in marked degree as an individ- ual the particular points desired. The plan soon began to reveal marvelous results, and orders for breeding stock began to come from, all parts of the island. King George III him- self made personal inquiries as to " the new dis- covery " in stock-breeding, and about the time the early Short-horn breeders became specially interested in their work the Bakewell system was arousing much curiosity, even among those conservatives who had stoutly opposed the theory. Bakewell did not use Short-horns in his ex- periments. He kept a few of the old sort, it is said, merely to show by contrast the superior- ity of his new breed of Long-horns. While he achieved a permanent success with his sheep 30 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE. the Long-horns were not destined to general popularity. The method employed in fixing the type, however, was soon seized upon by some of the younger element in the Short-horn breeding ranks, and with wonderful effect, as we will now proceed to note. Ketton and Barmpton. — About three miles northeast of Darlington, in the county of Dur- ham, overlooking a little stream that flows into the Tees at Croft, is the farm of Barmpton, and about a mile beyond is Ketton. Upon these two farms the modern Short-horn may be said to have had its origin. Charles Colling Sr., father of Charles and Robert, the first great improvers of the breed, had laid the founda- tion for a Short-horn herd at Ketton Farm by the purchase of a cow called Cherry at Yarm Fair, but finding farming unprofitable at this time he gave up the property to his son Charles. The brothers set about breeding Short-horns at a time when values of farm products in Eng- land were much depressed. The American Revolution had just been terminated, and, in common with all other farm property in great Britain, cattle were still feeling the demoraliz- ing effects of war. The original Duchess cow. — Charles Colling had heard of Bakewell and his work and in 1783 made a prolonged study, at Dishley, of the theory and practice of in-and-in or "close" DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE. 31 breeding. In June of the following year he bought in Darlington market a cow which he named Duchess that gave rise to the family that afterward became the subject of the wild- est cattle speculation known in all the annals of English or American agriculture. She was bought from Thomas Appleby, a tenant farmer on the Stanwick estate of Sir Hugh Smithson, afterward created Duke of Northumberland. As already stated, the Stanwick herds had been celebrated locally from a very ancient period. This primal Duchess was described as " a mas- sive, short-legged animal of a beautiful yellow- red flecked color; her breast was near the ground and her back wide. She was, too, a great grower. Mr. Colling considered her han- dling very superior, and no one was a better judge. He even went so far as to say that he considered her the best cow he ever had or ever saw, and confessed that he could never breed as good a one from her, even from his best bulls, which improved all his other cattle." This fine cow cost but thirteen pounds sterling. About the same date Charles Colling bought a cow named Daisy said to have been descended from Masterman's Bull and belonging to a fam- ily of cows noted for their milking properties. Moreover, it was said that she was " very neat in shape and very inclinable to make fat." "The Beautiful Lady Maynard."— In 1786 32 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Gabriel Thornton, who had lived with Mr. May- nard of Eryholme as bailiff for some ten years, entered Charles Colling's service. The quality of the Eryholme cattle naturally came under consideration, and in September of that year Mr. and Mrs. Charles Colling rode over to Mr. Maynard's to inspect the herd.* Their atten- tion was at once claimed by a handsome seven- year-old cow then called Favorite "that Miss Maynard was milking." This cow was a roan possessing the long horns of the old Teeswater type and came from a well-established tribe. She was bought for twenty-eight guineas, and Mr. Colling agreed also to take her heifer calf— that received the name of Young Strawberry and was sired by Dalton Duke (188) — at ten guineas. At the time of this purchase the cow was again in calf to Dalton Duke and gave birth to a bull to that service at Ketton in 1787. The name of this cow, the most celebrated of all the early matrons of the breed, was changed by Mr. Colling to Lady Maynard. She became the ancestress of several famous families and of the bulls that fairly created " the improved Short-horn." The Bull Hubback.— While Charles Colling was making these purchases of foundation stock his brother Kobert was not idle. The * It is said that Mrs. Colling was quite as much interested in cattle- breeding as her husband, and having no children she had leisure to indulge ber love for the stock. DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE. 38 author of one of the latest English contribu- tions to Short-horn literature* asserts that in Duchess, Cherry, Daisy and Lady Maynard Charles Colling was possessed of " the four best short-horned cows in existence." Robert Col- ling had bought with judgment from such good herds as those of Messrs. Milbank, Hill, Watson, Wright, Sir William St. Quintin and Best, all of whom were known to possess fine cattle, and in the case of the selection and use of the cele- brated bull Hubback Robert seems to have shown rather more discernment than Charles. There is no gainsaying the far-reaching influ- ence of the blood of this bull as a factor in the improvement of the breed. Indeed some credit him with being the one real fountain head of modern Short-horn excellence. The testimony of Thomas Bates (one of the most distinguished of all those who followed Colling, and of whom we shall speak more at length later on) was particularly radical upon this proposition. He said: " It was the opinion of all good judges in my early days that had it not been for the bull Hubback and his descendants the old, valuable breed of Short-horns would have been entirely lost, and that where Hubback's blood was wanting they had no real merit, and no stock ought to have been put in any herd book of Short- horns which had not Hubback's blood in their veins. Had this been done, then the Herd Book of Short-horns would have been a valuable record ; as it is, it is undeserving of notice, and ought no longer to be continued as a book of reference, as ninety-nine ani- mals out of a hundred in Coates' Herd Book should never have been entered there." •Cadwallader John Bates of Langley Castle, Northumberland. 3 34 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Mr. Bates may be called a prejudiced wit- ness. He was a man of very decided convic- tions; dogmatic to the last degree. While it is not probable that Hubback held, Atlas-like, in his day the whole future of the breed upon his shoulders there is no doubt that he imparted a quality and refinement of character that had been comparatively rare prior to his appear- ance. Short-horn history abounds in cases where outstanding merit has failed of adequate ap- preciation, but the story of Hubback, summar- ized below, probably surpasses all others of its class.* He was thus described by Coates: " Head good, horns small and fine, neck fine, breast well formed and fine to the touch, shoul- * John Hunter, the breeder of Hubback, was a brick-layer and lived at Hurworth. He had once been a tenant farmer and bred Short-horn cattle which, when leaving his farm to live at Hurworth, he sold all off, excepting one choice little cow he took with him, and as he had no pasture of his own for her to graze in she ran in the lanes of the town. While there she was put to "George Snowdon's Bull," also in Hurworth. From him the cow dropped a bull calf. Soon afterward the cow and calf were driven to Darlington market and there sold to a Mr. Bassnett, a timber merchant. Bassnett retained the cow but sold the calf to a blacksmith at Hornby, five miles out from Darlington. The dam of the calf taking- on flesh readily would not again breed and after some months was fattened and slaughtered. Growing to a useful age, the young bull in 1783 was found, at six years old, in the haads of a Mr. Fawcett, living at Haughton Hill, not far from Darlington. Mr. Wright (a noted Short-horn breeder) says that Charles Colling, going into Darlington market weekly, used to notice some excellent veal, and upon inquiry ascertained that the calves were got by a bull belonging to Mr. Fawcett of Haughton Hill. This bull, then known as Fawcett's Bull, and some years afterwards called Hubback, was at the time serving cows at a shilling each (about twenty-five cents). Charles Colling, however, as the merits of the beast were talked over between himself and others, did not appear particularly impressed with them. But Robert Colling and his neighbor, Mr. Waistell of All-hill, who had also seen the Dull, thought bet- ter of him and more accurately measured his value. The two, soon after DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE. 35 ders rather upright, girth good, loins, belly and sides fair, rump and hips extraordinary, flank and twist wonderful." He was a yellow-red with some white, calved in 1777. He was got by Snowdon's Bull (612), he by Waistell's Bull (558), he by Masterman's Bull (422), son of Studley Bull (626). His dam was out of a cow bred by Mr. Stephenson of Ketton "from a tribe in his possession forty years." It was at one time alleged that there was Kyloe (West Highland) blood in Hubback's veins on his dam's side, but this is not substantiated. Rob- ert Colling used Hubback for a time and then sold him to his brother Charles, who kept him in service two seasons, after which he was sold, at ten years of age, to Mr. Hubback, in whose hands he remained up to his death at the age of fourteen years. It appears that neither Waistell nor either of the Collings truly appre- ciated the merits of Hubback until after they had parted with him and saw the excellence of his stock as they grew up and developed. He was a small bull — his dam was small for a Good Friday, in April, 1783, bought him of Mr. Fawcett for ten guineas (about $50) and took him home, where he was jointly owned and used to their separate herds, Colling having seventeen and Waistell eleven cows served by him during the season. In the following November (1783) Charles Colling, having changed his opinion of the merits of the bull, offered his owners eight guineas (about $40) for him, and they sold him. Charles Colling kept the bull two years, using him freely in his herd, and then sold him late in 1785, at ten years old, to a Mr. Hubback, at North Seton, in Northumberland. The bull had no name when Colling sold him. Mr. Hubback used him (the bull then being called Hubback's Bull) until the year 1791, when he was fourteen years old, and he was vigorous to the last. 36 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Short-horn, but a very handsome cow, of fine symmetry, with a nice touch and fine, long, mossy hair. All these choice qualities Hub- back took from her. As size was a meritorious point in Short- horns at that time it is highly probable that the Collings discarded him for that deficiency more than any other. Yet the subsequent reputation of Hubback among the breeders was higher than that of any other bull of his time, and it was considered a great merit in any Short-horn which could trace its pedigree back into his blood, which no doubt could be easily done, as he was, both before and after the Collings owned him, open to the public at a cheap rate of service. It is said that his stock had capacious chests, prominent bosoms, thick, mossy coats, mellow skins, with a great deal of fine flesh spread evenly over the whole carcass. Mr. Bates stated that Hub- back had " clean, waxy horns, mild, bright eyes, a pleasing countenance and was one of the most remarkably quick feeders ever known. He retained his soft and downy coat long into the summer. His handling was superior to that of any bull of the day." Foljambe and inbreeding. — Among other good heifers left at Ketton by Hubback was one called Haughton, said to have been "fine and neat." Mr. Colling had apparently not a high enough opinion of Hubback at that time, DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE. 37 however, to go to the extreme of Bakewell's system and breed her back to her sire, for he sent her to be bred to Richard Barker's Bull (52), "a large, well-shaped, but coarse, wiry- haired beast with a black nose." The produce was the noted bull Foljambe (263), a white with a few red spots, that seems to have combined some of the good points of both sire and dam. He was a big, wide-backed, "thick beast of great substance," inheriting scale and constitu- tion from his sire and some of Hubback's good handling quality from his dam. Although sold as a young bull at fifty guineas Foljambe was used upon some of Colling's best cows? among others the rich red-roan Lady Maynard, the produce being a heifer called Phoenix. To the cover of Foljambe Lady Maynard's Dal ton Duke heifer Young -Strawberry dropped the bull Bolingbroke (86), called by Coates the best bull he ever saw. It is at this point that the Bakewell system was first tried. The Lady Maynard heifer Phoenix (by Foljambe) was bred to the Young Strawberry (daughter of Lady Maynard) bull Bolingbroke (by Foljambe), the produce of this close breeding being the celebrated bull Favorite (252). It is claimed by historians of the Bates Herd that this mating was not directed as a well-matured scheme. Phoenix had previously been bred to Robert Colling's Ben (70). According to Bell 38 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. the cow was not bred back to Ben again be- cause a coolness had arisen between the two brothers, and was only served by Bolingbroke simply in order that "she might have a calf of some sort." This may or may not be true, but the fact remains nevertheless that Favorite, with his double infusion of the blood of Fol- jambe and Lady Maynard, represented the first fruit of the application of the policy of in-and- in breeding to Short-horn cattle. Colling sold Bolingbroke when eight years old to Mr. Job- ling for seventy guineas. Vigorous to the last the old bull was killed at Newcastle in 1800, being sold at one shilling per pound. It is said that his stock had, as a rule, red bodies with some white on their faces, thus resembling somewhat in their markings the modern Here- ford. Favorite (252) an extraordinary sire. — This greatest of all old-time sires was "a large, mas- sive bull of good constitution, with a fine, bold eye, remarkably good loins and long, level hind quarters. His shoulder points stood wide and were somewhat coarse; they protruded into the neck. His horns were long and strong." Coates called him "low in the back." Wais- tell said he was "a grand beast * * * with a good coat and as good a handler as ever was felt." It is said that he resembled his dam, Phoenix, rather than his sire, Bolingbroke. DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE. 39 Favorite was a light roan, dropped in 1793, and died in 1809. So nearly did he meet Mr. Colling's views as to what a Short-horn bull should be that he now began a most extraordi- nary course of inbreeding. For years the bull was used indiscriminately upon his own off- spring, often to the third and in one or two instances to the fifth and sixth generations. His get were not only the most celebrated Short-horns of their day, but his immediate descendants constitute a large percentage of the entire foundation stock upon which the herd-book records stand. He was bred back to his own dam, the produce being a heifer, Young Phoenix. To still farther test the Bakewell system this heifer was then bred to her own sire, the issue of that doubly-incestuous union being the bull Comet (155), the pride of his time and the first Short-horn to sell for $5,000. The first calf got by Favorite was dropped by the Duchess cow, and the second was a bull that was afterward steered and acquired celeb- rity as "The Durham Ox."— It must be borne in mind that at this time the Short-horns were a local breed .of cattle, confined chiefly to the counties of ancient Northumbria, and the best of them were to be found in and about the Val- ley of the Tees. The Collings, in the exercise of their usual foresight and sagacity, deter- 40 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. mined to give their cattle a wide reputation through the kingdom, and for that purpose Charles prepared the Durham Ox for public ex- hibition. As this ox achieved a wide reputation and successfully drew the merits of the Short- horns to the attention of the cattle-breeding public, although it has been frequently pub- lished, a full account of him will be repeated. He was among the earliest calves got by Fa- vorite (252), "bred in the year 1796, and out of a common black-and-white cow, bought for Charles Colling by John Simpson, at Durham Fair, for £14 ($70)." Although the dam of the Durham Ox was said to have been "a common cow," yet from the price which Colling paid for her, and the marvelous excellence of the steer descended from her, ifc is altogether probable she possessed much of the "common" Short- horn blood of the vicinity. Judging from her color she was probably not highly bred, but it is certain that she had much quality. This ateer Colling fed up to his greatest flesh-taking capacity until nearly five years old, when he had attained a reputed weight of 3,024 Ibs. He was then purchased to be exhibited by Mr. Bulmer of Harmby, in February, 1801, for £140 ($700). Bulmer had a traveling carriage made to carry him through the country, and after traveling and exhibiting him five weeks sold the carriage and ox at Rotherham to John Day DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE. 41 for £250 ($1,250). On the 14th of May ensuing Mr. Day could have sold him for £525 ($2,625); on the 13th of June for £1,000 ($5,000), and on the 8th of July for £2,000 ($10,000), but he re- fused all these offers, which were strong proofs of the excellence of the ox, as well as his exhib- ition value. Mr. Day traveled with him nearly six years through the principal parts of England and Scotland, till at Oxford, on the 19th of Feb- ruary, the ox dislocated his hip bone, and con- tinued in that state till the 15th of April, when he was killed, and notwithstanding he must have lost considerable flesh during these eight weeks of illness, yet his dead weight was: Four quarters, 2,322 Ibs.; tallow, 156 Ibs.; hide, 142 Ibs.; total, 2,620 Ibs. This was at the age of eleven years, under all the disadvantages of six years traveling in a jolting carriage and eight weeks of painful lameness. At ten years old Mr. Day stated his live weight to have been nearly 3,400 Ibs. "The White Heifer That Traveled,"— About the year 1806 Robert Colling reared a purely- bred heifer, afterward called the " White Heifer That Traveled," which he sent out through the principal agricultural counties for exhibition. The date of her birth is not given in the first volume E. H. B., where her pedigree is recorded. She was also got by Favorite (252) from a dam called « Favorite Cow," bred by R. Colling. 42 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. The name of " Favorite Cow's" sire is not given. Her grandam, "Yellow Cow," was by Punch (531), and her great-grandam was by Anthony Reed's Bull (538), and bred by Mr. Best of Man- field. The " White Heifer" being twinned with a bull, and herself not breeding, she was fed up to her greatest flesh-taking capacity and exten- sively exhibited. Her age when slaughtered is not given, but the account states that her live weight could not have been less than 2,300 Ibs., and her dead weight was estimated at 1,820 Ibs. There were other extraordinary, large and heavy cattle bred and fed by the Short-horn breeders contemporary with the Collings, whose recorded weights we might give, but as they all run in about the same scale it is not important to record them here. It is sufficient to say that the great reputation which the Collings and their animals acquired was through the wider knowledge which the public abroad obtained of them by these public exhibitions. Thus the Collings became conspicuously known, and were considered by those not intimately acquainted with the other breeders around them as, if not the founders, at least the great improvers of the newly-advertised and meritorious breed. The "alloy" blood,— In the year 1791, after Charles Colling had been ten years a Short-horn breeder and had his choicest Short-horn fami- DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE. 43 lies well established, one of his neighbors, Col. O'Callaghan, purchased two Scotch Galloway hornless heifers and brought to his farm. He agreed with Colling to have the heifers served by his bull Bolingbroke (86), with the under- standing that if the calves were bulls Colling was to have them; if heifers, O'Callaghan was to retain them. One of these heifers, red in color, dropped a red-and-white roan bull calf in the year 1792, which immediately became the property of Colling. The other calf was a heifer, which was kept by O'Callaghan. Colling had an aged Short-horn cow, "Old Johanna," bred by himself, of moderate quality, got by "Lame Bull" (358), bred by Robert Colling. That is all which is given of her pedigree, no dam being mentioned. Yet Lame Bull had two crosses of Hubback (319) in him, and his great- grandam was by James Brown's Red Bull (97), so far giving him an excellent pedigree. Old Johanna not having bred a calf for two years was put to this Son of Bolingbroke (from the Galloway heifer), when a yearling, and he got her in calf. The produce was another bull calf, in 1794, Grandson of Bolingbroke (280), red and white in color, which Colling also kept, being three-fourths Short-horn and one-fourth Gallo- way blood. Colling's cow Phoenix, the dam of Favorite (252), had become somewhat aged, and not having had a calf since the birth of Favorite, 44 A HISTORY OF SHORT -HORN CATTLE. although put to good balls, as a last resort she was coupled to this Grandson of Bolingbroke, when a yearling, in 1795, and by him she had a red-and-white heifer calf in the year 1796. This calf Colling called " Lady." She had one-eighth part Galloway blood. Proving a very good one, Colling reared this heifer, and at maturity bred her successively to his bulls Favorite (252), her half-brother; Cupid (177), otherwise closely re- lated to her; and to Comet (155), still more closely related. She produced the heifers Coun- tess, one-sixteenth Galloway, by Cupid; and Laura, also one-sixteenth Galloway, by Favorite, both of which proved fine cows. Her bull calves were Washington (674), one-sixteenth Galloway, by Favorite; also Major (397), one- sixteenth; George (276), one-sixteenth; and Sir Charles (592), one-sixteenth Galloway; the three last ones by Comet (155). The two " alloy" bulls, "Q'Callaghan's Son of Bolingbroke" (469), and "Grandson of Bolingbroke" (280), as well as the cows Lady and her daughters Coun- tess and Laura and some of their descendants, were recorded in Vol. I, E. H. B., many years after Colling had sold them, with their Gallo- way cross distinctly stated. Although very little of this blood remained in the descendants of these so-called "alloy" cattle at the time of the Ketton sale of 1810— the outcross having been buried fathoms deep DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE. 45 by pure Short-horn blood — there was an effort subsequently made to discredit them, but hap- pily the controversy once waged over them no longer interests practical breeders. As to Robert Colling.— In his youth Robert had been apprenticed to a grocer, but his health declining he embraced farming. He had often visited Mr. Culley, a noted farmer, stock- breeder and agricultural writer, and took les- sons from him in farming, turnip-growing and stock-feeding. He had obtained Leicester sheep from Bakewell, and for many years bred and sold them with great success, simultaneous with his pursuit of cattle-breeding. His annual ram- lettings were extensive and profitable. Some of his earliest stock he obtained from Mr. Milbank of Barningham. They were con- sidered as among the best of the Teeswater cattle, and noted for their excellent grazing properties. He also selected the best cows to be obtained from other breeders, and having the bull Hubback (319), as previously stated, in the year 1783, by which he had seventeen cows served, it may well be supposed that he made a ready and sure start through the best blood and the best animals he could obtain in the foundation of his herd. He bred with skill and judgment, and founded several different fami- lies, among the rest the Wildair, the Red Rose, the Princess, the Bright Eyes, and oth- 46 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. ers, which became in future hands, as well as his own, widely noted as the basis of supe- rior herds. He also bred many noted bulls. Among the earliest of them were Broken-horn (95), by Hubback (319); Punch (513), by Broken-horn; Ben (70), and Twin Brother to Ben (660), by Punch; Colling's (Robert) White Bull (151), by Favorite (252); Marske (418), by Favorite [his dam and grandam also by Favor- ite; great-grandam by Hubback (319) — that became a very noted bull, useful thirteen years, and died at fifteen years old]; North Star (459), by Favorite [and full brother to the "White Heifer That Traveled"]; Phenom- enon (491), by Favorite, and Styford (629) by Favorite. "The American Cow." — Among the cows bred by Robert Colling was one which has ob- tained celebrity, through her descendants, as "The American Cow"; and it was a subject of inquiry for many years, both in England and America, why a cow so ancient in line- age should have been called by a name so for- eign to her birthplace, and after a country where the Short-horns at that time were almost unknown. We first find her name in the pedi- gree of Red Rose, in first edition of Vol. I, p. 457, E. H. B., as follows: "Red, calved in 1811, bred by Mr. Hustler, property of Mr. T. Bates; got by Yarborough (705), dam (bred by R. Col- DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE. 47 ling and called The American Cow) by Favorite (252), grandam by Punch (531), great-grandam by Foljambe (263), great-great-grandam by Hubback (319)." In the above pedigree The American Cow is originally identified. In Vol. II, p. 497, first edition E. H. B., the same Red Rose is again re- corded as Red Rose 1st, her dam being " The American Cow," as before. In a conversation with the late L. F. Allen, Mr. John Thornton of London, who visited this country in the winter of 1870-71, remarked that he had never learned why the American Cow was so called, although he had made diligent inquiries in England for the reason. The American history of the cow, as we have been informed on authority which we deem good, is this: In some year, not long after 1801, a son of Mr. Hustler, who was a Short-horn cattle-breeder in Yorkshire, emigrated to New York, and brought with him some Short-horn cattle, among which was this nameless cow, or then heifer, afterward dam of the Red Rose 1st, which his father bought of Robert Colling. The younger Hustler went into business in New York city, and put his cattle into the adjoining county of Westchester. After a few years' stay in America he returned to England, and not finding his Short-horns appreciated on this side the ocean (as we find no record of them or 48 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. their produce in this country) Mr. Hustler took this cow back with him, as she was a re- markably good beast, and put her into his father's herd. Then, on being put to Yarbor- ough, she became the dam of Red Rose, after- ward purchased by Mr. Bates, he calling her Red Rose 1st, which, in his hands, was the ancestress of the tribe of Red Rose, from whom many excellent animals have descended. The only English account we have of The American Cow, aside from her pedigree, which we have quoted, is that "she was sent to America, and taken back to England." It is hardly necessary to follow Robert Col- ling through the various particulars of his breeding. The brothers bred much in concert, followed the same system of blood concentra- tion, and in fact were almost identical in their practice. To sum up the results of their joint action, it may be said that they, in the midst of older and more experienced breeders, combated the rooted prejudices of the day, and through the Bakewell system established a new school of breeding. The Ketton Dispersion. — Enjoying the pres- tige of success and reputation, in the month of October, 1810, Charles Colling made a public sale of his herd at Ketton and retired from breeding. It was then the heyday of agricul- tural prosperity in the British Islands. Eng- DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE. 49 land had engaged in the continental wars of Europe against the first Napoleon; specie pay- ments had been many years suspended by her banks and at the national treasury; prices of agricultural produce were highly inflated, and so far as pounds, shillings and pence then rated —probably quite double to what they were ten years afterward — the sums which were bid for his cattle were both unprecedented and enor- mous. The sale was well advertised, and its results marked an era in Short-horn history. Twenty-nine cows and heifers fetched £4,066 13s., an average of £140 4s. 7d.; eighteen bulls and bull calves brought £3,049 4s., an average of £169 8s., the forty-seven head selling for £7,115 17s., an average of £151 8s. Three- fourths of the cattle were got by the bulls Favorite (252) and his son Comet (155), and the remaining fourth by bulls of their get. Fur- thermore, a large proportion of the cows were in calf to Comet. This bull brought 1,000 guineas. The highest-priced female was one of his daughters, the three-year-old Lily, that brought 410 guineas. The "alloy" cow Count- ess, "undoubtedly the finest cow in the sale/7 brought 400 guineas.* * We quote relative to the sale from Thornton's Circular of April, 1869, as follows: " The sale was on a fine October day, and early in the morning people rode and drove to Ketton, leaving- their horses and gigs at the adjoining farms; all the straw-yards were full, and the throng- at the sale immense; everything was eaten up, so that bread had to be sent for into Darlington. 4 50 A HISTORY OF SHOiiT-HORN CATTLE. The Barmpton sales. — Eight years after the sale of the Ketton herd Robert Colling, in the year 1818, made a partial sale of his stock, and Mr. Kingston, the auctioneer, sold the cattle by the sand-glass, and in ac- cordance with the custom of the time received about five guineas for the business, the work of the sale falling more on the owner than the auction- eer. The cattle were not fed up for the sale, but kept naturally, and sold when they were in great condition from natural keep. "The Ketton stock at this time is described by Mr. Wright as of great size and substance, with fine, long hind quarters; the space from the hip to the rib was long and counteracted by a broad back and high, round ribs. The shoulders of the males were upright, and the knuckles, or shoulder points, large and coarse— a defect not so apparent in the females. The gen- eral contour, or side view, was stately and imposing, but their great superi- ority consisted in their extraordinary inclination to fatten. On handling the skin was loose and pliant, and the feel under it remarkably mellow and kind. The color was greatly varied, red, red-and-white, roan, and also white being found in the same kindred, while in all cases of close affinity there was a tendency to white, with red ears and spots. "Many of the cows were excellent milkers, giving twelve full quarts at a meal. Cherry, the first lot, was one of them, a plain cow in color, red and a little white, whose descendants are now in existence in the neighborhood of Stockton-on-Tees and Malton, Yorks. Countess [alloy] was undoubtedly the finest cow in the sale, but she wanted hair and milk; in character she came nearest to Mason'8 style, and her back and belly formed parallel lines. She produced three heifers and the bull Constellation (163), in Maj. Budd's possession, and died in 1816. Selina [alloy] had the style of her dam, Countess, but not her magnificent appearance; she bred ten calves at Denton Park, and her descendants in the ninth and tenth generations are still In existence at Siddington, Gloucestershire. Lady lacked elegance, but had great substance and good hair; in color she was red-and-white. "Lily, pure bred, sold to Maj. Budd for 400 guineas ($2,152), a splendid white cow, was the highest-priced female, but did nothing in Maj. Budd's possession. Daisy, a small roan cow, but a grand milker, was most fruit- ful with Maj. Bower; her dam, Old Daisy, who gave thirty-two quarts of milk a day, had been sold to Mr. Hustler, who bred Fairy from her, the an- cestress of Bev. J. D. Jefferson's Lady Abbesses. This Fairy wae after- ward bought by Mr. Bates, who reckoned her to be the finest specimen of quality imaginable; she had a long, thick, downy coat, with a superb fles"h underneath, which to a superficial observer appeared hard, the cow being In a rapidly advancing condition. Cora [alloy], out of the 400-guineas cow Countess, had a pretty red frame, but ugly cock horns, and was re- sold to Maj. Bower, who bred ten calves from her. Magdalene was a little red cow, with a large bag and belly and short quarters; although the dam of the celebrated red-and-white bull Blyth Comet (85), her only produce be- sides Ossian (476), she was not first rate, and wanted hair, yet when dry had a great propensity to feed. " The only cow that Charles CoHing reserved was Magdalena [by Comet, dam by Cupid], a great favorite and an extraordinary milker, giving six- DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE. 51 in 1820 the closing sale, which finished his career as a breeder. At the time of his first sale, in 1818, he had been before the public as a leading and prominent breeder thirty-eight years, and at his final sale, in 1820, forty years. teen quarts twice a day. Mr. Whitaker prevailed upon Charles Colling to let him have her; the numerous and well-known ' Chaff ' tribe is descended from this cow. " Comet (155) was the great attraction of the sale, and his close breeding [by Favorite (252), dam by Favorite (252), out of Favorite's (252) dam], did not detract from his value or appearance. Charles Colling declared him to be the best bull he ever bred or saw. He was a beautiful light roan, dark [red] neck, with a fine masculine head, broad and deep breast, shoulders well laid back, crops and loins good, hind quarters long, straight, and well packed, thighs thick, twist full and well let down, with nice straight hocks and hind legs. He had fair-sized horns, ears large and hairy, and a gran- deur of style and carriage that was indescribable. It was admitted that no bull so good had ever before been seen, and eminent breeders have since said that they never again saw his equal. In one point, however, opinions differed. Some few objected to his shoulders as not being good, or a little too strong in the knuckles; others asserted that he was there, as in every other point, faultless. The near shoulder was slightly shrunk in, appar- ently diseased, which may have arisen from a violent sprain that he re- ceived when a calf. When brought into the ring he was put up at 600 guineas. Thomas Newton, a small dairyman at Bishop Auckland, bid 850 guineas, and Mr. John Wright, standing beside him, asked why he bid? 'To take in cows at a good profit,' said he, and while talking the glass run out at 1,000 guineas ($5,000). Mr John Hutton of Marske, who was unable to get to the sale, bid 1,600 guineas for him, as well as Sir H. Vane Tempest, who was delayed, and drove up just as the sale was finishing. Comet was located at Cleasby, three miles from Darlington, and was kept in a small paddock, with a loose box in the corner. The condition of purchase was that the four buyers should send twelve cows each annually to him, and Mr. Wright was to have one extra for his keep. Mr. Wright died in the meantime, and Comet gradually sank, his body breaking oat into sores. Remus (550) is supposed to have been his last calf. Miss Wright kept a man expressly to attend to Comet, and when the bull died he was buried in the center of the paddock, and a chestnut tree planted on his grave. The paddock is known as ' Comet's garth ' [enclosure] to this day. Mr. Thorn- ton of Stapleton purchased this field, and the tree having grown to an enor- mous size was grubbed up on the 3d of February, 1865, and Comet's skeleton laid bare; his rib bone measured two feet one inch, and the leg bone, knee to ankle joint, nine inches to five inches circumference. Many of the other bones were quite perfect, and the whole are preserved in a glass case as a curiosity at Stapleton, near Darlington. "North Star (458), own brother to Comet, and a year younger, was used and died at Gen. Simpson's in Fifeshire; he was a little lighter in color but 62 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. During1 all that time, like his brother Charles, he had been a large seller of stock as well as a considerable purchaser. He sold his surplus animals to other breeders, through which the blood of many of his best animals was im- parted to their herds, since become famous. Like his brother Charles, whenever he had found a well-bred female whose superior good qualities pleased him, if it were possible he also availed himself, by purchase, of her merits. As with the sale of Charles in 1810, the widely advertised first sale of Robert in 1818, with a greater number of animals, brought a large attendance of the most spirited breeders of Eng- land. It took place on the 29th and 30th days of September. Sixty-one cattle were sold for £7,852 19s., an average of £128 14s. 9d. The top price was 621 guineas for the four-year-old fully as fine In quality, or perhaps rather thicker, though not such a per. fectly elegant animal as Comet. Young Phoenix, their dam, only produced one other calf, a heifer, that died young. "Major (397), a nice bull, but not particularly handsome, and of a red- and-white color, begot much good stock in Lincolnshire for many years. He was hired by Mr. John Charge, who bred Western Comet (689) by him, out of Gentle Kitty. Western Comet was acknowledged to be the best bull and finest stock-getter ever brought into Cumberland. He was used to his daughters and granddaughters, and from this close alliance came the Wharfdale tribe, recently so successful in Ireland. Petrarch (488) was a splendid-looking bull, but wanted hair, whilst Northumberland (464), who had big knuckles, was used, like Ossian (476) in Westmoreland, for several seasons, both becoming celebrated sires. Ketton (346) also showed strong knuckles and eventually went into Nottinghamshire. Albion (14) is said to have done more good than any other bull used at Killerby [Thomas Booth's]. Young Duchess, known afterward as Duchess 1st [bought by Thomas Bates], was a fine red heifer and developed into a large, handsome cow, with a good deal of the elegance and style of her sire, Comet. She was never quite so splendid an animal as her grandam, the Duchess, by the Daisy Bull (186)." DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE. 53 bull Lancaster (360). Mr. Booth of Killerby paid 270 guineas for the bull calf Pilot (496). The final closing-out sale of the herd oc- curred Oct. 3, 1820, and like that of 1818 at- tracted wide attention. The forty-six head brought £2,273 15s. 6d., an average of £49 8s. 7d., the highest price paid being 350 guineas by Sir C. Loraine for the five-year-old bull Baro- net (62). The total of the two sales was £10,126 14s. 6d. Commenting upon these prices Mr. John Thornton, than whom there is no higher authority in England, says: " Although the average of the Barmpton sale, 1818, was under that of Ketton, 1810, there is every reason to believe that it was a better sale. In 1810 things were at war price and everything high, whilst in 1818 there was peace and a gen- eral depression upon agriculture. The 'alloy' blood, too, in the Ketton stock tended to pro- mote competition for the purer strains at Barmpton. The bulls are said by Mr. Wether- ell to have been the finest lot he ever saw at one sale. They doubled the average of the cows, and, taking the highest-priced family at Ketton against the highest-priced one at Barmpton, we have the following result in favor of the Barmpton stock: At Ketton the Phoe- nix tribe, sixteen (including Comet, 1,000 gui- neas), averaged £221 3s.; at Barmpton the Red Rose tribe, eleven (including Lancaster, 621 54 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. guineas), averaged £269 3s. 6d., and the thirteen favorite Wildairs averaged £142 17s. 6d." Pre-eminence of the Ceilings, — While the Short-horn history of this particular period must deal mainly with the operations of the brothers Colling, it will of course be understood that they had many intelligent contemporaries. Whether the Collings really earned the right to be called the first great improvers of the mod- ern Short-horn, or whether they gained their fame mainly by reason of the novelty of their methods and their superior enterprise as adver- tisers, the fact remains that more pedigrees in the Short-horn herd books of England and America trace to the Colling herds than to any other dozen herds of the same period combined. Manifestly there was some good reason for the general adoption of Colling blood. That the breeders of that day conceded leadership to the breeder of Foljambe, Favorite and Comet is in- dicated by a testimonial tendered Charles Col- ling on his retirement from breeding in 1810— a valuable piece of plate bearing the following inscription: PRESENTED TO MR. CHARLES COLLING, THE GREAT IMPROVER OF THE SHORT-HORNED BREED OF CATTLE, BY THE BREEDERS ( Upwards of fifty), WHOSE NAMES ARE ANNEXED, $ > M > *« C B 0000 ?W 9~ 5 9S «g |g t-i ^-^3 B ^^ > * f!D'(DS'oosoBO''1ffiacr2fD o ^CD & Qtc 3^tofr:tO*5V5s- S os^rP^ H 2 *5 B ^ V3Oipui22 1H23 1823 1824 1824 1825 1825 1825 1825 1825 182(J 1826 1826 18:J<5 1826 .&w. .&w. .&w. .&w. .&w. .&w. .&w. .&w. .&w. .&w. .&w. ed. .&w. .&w. .&w. „ .&'w. .&w. Aw. *w! . &w. . &w. &w. Comet 1 1 1 1 2 4 1 i 4 2 4 8 1 4 :: .* Ketton Ketton Ketton 2d Ketton 2d Ketton 3d 4 Marske 3 Marske 2 2 1 i i 8 2 .. . Marske Cleveland 4 ... i 2 1 .... The Earl 4 The Earl 9 The Earl (5 i -- - The Earl 8 The Earl . .... 3l 1 3d Earl ii1.: 2d Hubback 6 . 2d Hubback 12 .... 5 ? i 2d Earl 8 .. 'M Hubback .. . 9 2d Earl .... 11' ... 2d Hubback g 2d Hubback 3 1 1 1 .... 114 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. NAME. Duchess 27 Duchess 28 Duchess 29 Duchess 80 Duchess 31 Duchess 82 Duchess 83 Duchess 34 Duchess 35 Duchess 36 Duchess 37 Duchess 38 Duchess 39 Duchess 40 Duchess 41 Duchess 42 Duchess 43 Duchess 44 Duchess 45 Duchess 46 Duchess 47 Duchess 48 Duchess 49 Duchess 60 Duchess 51 Duchess 52 Duchess 53 Duchess 54 Duchess 55 Duchess 56 Duchess 57 Duchess 58 Duchess 59 Duchess 60 Duchess 61 Duchess 62 Duchess 63 Duchess 64 1 1 Sire. 1 Calves produced. Me $ to I-1 . \ Steers or £ j unnamed Fen 1 ale. 1827 1827 1829 1830 1830 1831 1832 1832 1833 1834 1834 1835 1835 1835 1835 1837 1837 1838 1838 1838 1839 1339 1839 1839 1840 1841 1842 1844 1844 1844 1845 1846 1847 1847 1848 1848 1848 1849 r. & w. r. & w. r. & w. r.&w. r. & w. r. & w. roan, r.&w. red. r.&w. r. & w. roan, roan, roan, roan, roan, red. .&w. .&w. . & w. ed. .&w. . & w. white, roan, r. & w. roan, red. red. r. & w. roan, red. roan, red. roan, r. & w. roan, red. 16 2d Hubback 6 W 1 2d Hubback ?,{} 3 6 .... 2d Hubback 26 19 19 29 19 '"i 2d Hubback .... 1 1 2 ... Belvedere.. Gambler Belvedere.. 19 30 33 m i i Belvedere .J 2 2 .. . Norfolk 19 Belvedere 32 80 2 " i 2 Belvedere 34 37 1 i Short Tall Short Tall 30 1 34 ' ... .... .... ..... Short Tall Short Tall... 37 .. Short Tall 30 .. Short Tall 30 38 41 38 1 1 3 *.::: 1 1 2 '"i Duke of Northumberland — Cleveland Lad Holkar 41 2d Cleveland Lad 4th Duke of Northumberland. 2d Duke of Northumberland. 49 38 51 60 1 1 1 :*:: 8 1 2 .... 54 1 Total 66' 64 51 56 54 55 29 16 63 2 2d Duke of Oxford IBorn previous to the death of Mr. Bates, July 25,1849, and at 1 that date not old enough to ' have produce. 2d Duke of Oxford 2d Duke of Oxford 2d Duke of Oxford 2d Duke of Oxford . 2d Duke of Oxford Individual character of the cattle. — It may be of interest to American breeders to know that, although the prevailing color of the old Duchesses had been red and white, thirty-eight of the herd of sixty-eight head sold in 1850 were roan and five pure white in color; fifteen being red-and-white and twelve red. The con- THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES. 115 cent ration of the blood of the light-colored Belvedere and of the white Matchem cow's sons -the Cleveland Lads — modified the original Duchess color as well as elevated the general excellence of the herd. A contemporary re- port of the sale in the Farmer's Magazine com- mended the character of the cattle in the fol- lowing laudatory language: "In a combination of those qualities which constitute excel- lence in the Short-horn variety of cattle it may be asserted with confidence that the Kirklevington Herd at the time of its disper- sion was unequaled by any other in existence. Magnificent size, straight and broad back, arched and well-spread ribs, wide bosom, snug shoulder, clean neck, light feet, small head, prominent and bright but placid eye, were features of usefulness and beauty which distinguished this herd in the very highest degree. While the hide is sufficiently thick to indicate an excellent constitution, its elasticity when felt between the fingers and thumb, and its floating under the hand upon the cellular texture beneath, together with the soft and furry texture of the coat, evinced in an extraor- dinary degree throughout the herd excellent quality of flesh and disposition to rapid taking on fat. In the sixty-eight head of cattle not one could be characterized as inferior or even as mediocre, all ranking as first-class animals; and when an idea of inferiority arose it was only in reference to a comparison with others of this splendid herd, which, from their most extraordinary excellence, demanded special notice." Thus passed into other hands a herd that was destined to receive recognition in the subse- quent progress of the breed beyond even the wildest dreams of its founder. At his grave stands a substantial monument,* erected largely through the efforts of Mr. William Housman, *The exact date of Mr. Bates' death was July 25, as already stated. Through some inadvertency the inscription on the monument reads "July 26th." 116 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. one of the most entertaining of all English writers upon Short-horn cattle. It bears this simple inscription: THIS MEMORIAL OF THOMAS BATES, OF KIRKXEVINGTON, ONH OF THE MOST DISTINGUISHED BREEDERS Or SHORT-HORN CATTLE, 18 RAISED BY A FEW FRIENDS WHO APPRECIATE HIS LABOURS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF BRITISH STOCK, AND RESPECT HIS CHARACTER. BORN 21ST JUNE,, 1776. DIED 26TH JULY, 1849. DRAWN FROM PHOTOGRAPH BY THE AUTHOR, 1892. CHAPTER V. PALMY DAYS AT KILLERBY AND WAR- LABY. The establishment of the Yorkshire and Royal Shows (1838-9) . proved the means of attracting largely-increased attention to the breed, not only throughout Great Britain but in foreign lands as well. Mr. Bates was quick to see the advertising advantages presented, and had carried off high honors at the initial meetings of the National Show at Oxford and Cambridge. His contemporary, John Booth of Killerby, soon followed suit and began a career of conquest — in which his brother Richard soon joined— that gave the Booth cattle for a long series of years reputation as a heavy flesh- carrying type unequaled by any other in the Kingdom. Prior to that time the Booth herds had been kept mainly for dairy and grazing purposes, most of the males being steered. Their quick-feeding quality rendered them easily susceptible to "training" for show. We have already detailed the division of the Killerby Herd that occurred in 1814, at the (117) 118 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. time when Richard Booth began breeding at Studley. To take the place at Killerby of some of the cows sent to Studley Thomas Booth bought others, which when crossed with his strongly-bred bulls gave rise to three very prominent families — the Farewells, the Brough- tons, and the Dairymaids or Moss Roses. The matron of the Farewell tribe, like so many other good ones that proved successful breed- ers, was simply a good market cow, showing Short-horn breeding and quality, purchased at Darlington. Among her descendants were the famous trio — Faith, Hope and Charity. The first Broughton cow came, like the Fairholme heifers, from a good dairy farmer, and of her line was Bliss, Blythe and Bonnet. The origi- nal Dairymaid came from a good stock of cat- tle near the village of Scorton. To her the prolific Vivandiere, Campfollower and Soldier's Bride traced in the maternal line. To these families were added the Gaudy (or Lady Betty) sort, bred from a cow bought from Mr. Tay- lor of Catterick; the Mantalinis, derived from the purchase of Sylph, by Remus, from Mrs. Booth's sister, Miss Wright of Cleasby, and the Belindas, that originated from the stock of Miss Wright and Mr. Charge. The descend- ants of these cows, a portion of the Halnaby and Fairholme tribes, and the Bracelets consti- tuted the herd that graced " the quiet meadows KILLERBY AND WARLABY. 119 of old Killerby," from whence John Booth se- lected the celebrated show animals sent to the early meetings of the Royal Agricultural So- ciety of England. The sensation created by their appearance laid the foundation for the wide demand that subsequently set in for Booth blood. In five years four first prizes for the best Short-horn cows at the Royal were won by animals of Killerby breeding. Bracelet and Necklace.— In 1840 Killerby entered the lists at the Yorkshire Show at Northallerton and won first prize with the roan three-year-old Bracelet, by Priam (2452) — he a son of Isabella by Pilot — and second on the yearling heifer Mantalini. In 1841 Mr. Booth ventured into deeper water, showing at the Royal at Liverpool and the Highland at Ber- wick, as well as at the Yorkshire Show. Brace- let won first as cow at both of the national shows, and Mantalini first as two -year -old heifer. In 1842 Bracelet and her twin sister, Necklace, swept all before them at York, and Necklace was first at the Bristol Royal. Carr says: "To this day it is a mooted question among those who remember the world- renowned twins to which of them could be most justly awarded the palm of beauty. Necklace is said to have had neater fore quar- ters and to have been rather better filled up behind the shoulders. Bracelet had fuller, 120 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. longer and more level hind quarters." Writing in 1880 John Thornton said: "Many old breed- ers still maintain that as Duke of Northumber- land was one of the finest bulls so Bracelet was the finest cow in their recollection." In 1843 Necklace overcame all opposition at Doncaster. These famous cows together brought home as trophies of show-yard war some thirty-five class and championship prizes and medals; Necklace finishing her career by winning a gold medal against thirty-seven competitors at the Smith- field Fat-Stock Show at London in 1846. Buckingham. — Bracelet was not only a reigning show-yard queen, but proved a grand breeder, producing the fine white show cow Birthday, by Lord Stanley (4269), the prize bull Hamlet, by Leonard, and that extraordinary sire Buckingham (3239), the latter the result of mating with Col. Cradock's Mussulman (4525). Buckingham was sold to Richard Booth, who had in the meantime succeeded to his father's estate of Warlaby, and in his hands proved a uniform getter of broad-backed, round-ribbed stock, with shapely fore quarters and well-filled flanks. He was subsequently let to Mr. Barnes, who established a noted herd of Booth-bred cattle at Westland, Ireland, but the bull was unfortunately lost by the burning of the chan- nel steamer that was conveying him to the Em- erald Isle. Buckingham introduced the Old NECKLACE AT Six YEARS OLD. BRACELET AT FIVE YEARS OLD, JOHN BOOTH'S FAMOUS ROYAL PRIZE-WINNING TWINS. KILLERBY AND WARLABY. 121 Cherry blood into the Booth herds, and illus- trated the vivifying effect of a judicious out- cross upon tribes that had been interbred for generations. No further proof of this is needed than the mere mention of the fact that Buckingham left at Warlaby, among other val- uable progeny, the celebrated Charity, Plum Blossom, Bloom, Medora, Vivandiere, Isabella Buckingham, Vanguard, Hopewell, Benedict and Baron Warlaby. Bracelet's famous daugh- ter. Birthday, in turn produced the prize- win- ning heifer Gem (which Dixon says was Mr. Booth's model as respects compactness, beauti- ful hair and fine, even quality of flesh) and the w^hite bull Lord George (10439), the sire of the 2d Duke of Athol (11376), in the pedigrees of Mr. Alexander's American Duchesses of Airdrie. Another daughter of Bracelet was Pearl, gran- dam of Pearly, bought by Col. Towneley at the Killerby sale, that became the dam of the 500- guinea Ringlet. Bracelet was also the dam of the red bull Morning Star (6223), that was sold in 1844 as a two-year-old to Louis Phillippe of France. Before crossing the Channel, how- ever, he begot Vesper, the ancestress of the noted family of that name in the Booth-bred herd of Mr. R. S. Bruere. Necklace produced Jewel, the dam of Jeweller, used in the Towneley herd, the sire of the celebrated Barmpton Rose cow Butterfly. Mantalini, the 122 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. show -yard companion of the twins, had a daughter, Pelerine, from whence came those " three graces," Rose of Autumn, Rose of Sum- mer and Rose of Athelstane, in the herd of Mr. Douglas of Atheistaneford. John Booth's sale. — After playing a promi- nent part in the show-yard for a number of years and demonstrating beyond all dispute the flesh-making qualities and prepotent char- acter of his cattle "the Squire of Killerby" sold his herd at auction in July, 1852, the sale being attended by breeders from all parts of the Kingdom. The depression prevailing at the time of the Bates sale still continued, and some of the animals were a few years later re- sold for three times the price paid at the sale. The forty-four lots averaged £48 12s. Bloom brought 110 guineas from Mr. Ambler, and Birthright 105 guineas from Mr. Douglas. After the dispersion John Booth did not again engage extensively in cattle-breeding.* His *Mr Booth was a very fine-looking1 man, upward of six feet and fifteen stone, with rare hands and a fine eye to hounds. This was the sport ho loved best, and when he was on Jack o' Lantern or Rob Roy few men could cross the Bedale country with him. * * * He was full of joviality and good stories as well as the neatest of practical jokes. His friend Weth- erell generally had his guard up, but when he received a letter, apparently from the Earl of Tankerviile, saying1 that he was to lot and sell the wild White cattle of Chilungham, he puzzled for minutes as to how on earth Hia Lordship ever intended to catch them and bring them into the ring before he guessed the joke and its author. * * * Booth judged a great deal in England, and never went for great size either in a bull or a cow. As a man of fine, steady judgment in a cattle-ring he has perhaps never had an equal. He died in 1857, after a weary twelve months' illness, in his seventieth year, at Killerby, and a memorial window at Catterick, where he rests, was put up by his friends and neighbors and the Short-horn world as well."— Saddlt 2nd Sirloin. KILLERBY AND WARLABY. 123 brother Richard had purchased Venus Victrix at the top price of the sale (175 guineas) and afterward presented her to her former owner. She was successfully exhibited at leading shows from 1852 to 1856, and also produced the two bulls King Arthur and King Alfred, both by Crown Prince, besides two choice heifers, Vic- trix and Venus de Medicis. The latter was sold to Mr. Douglas for 300 guineas and shown at the Paris Exposition. At Mr. Booth's death in 1857 his sons inherited this Venus Victrix tribe, as well as the descendants of Hecuba, by Hope- well; among the latter being the noted Forest Queen and Queen of Trumps. Hecuba was of the real rent-paying sort — a heavy milker and quick feeder. Another grand cow in the herd at this time was Soldier's Dream, of the old Moss Rose sort. Her dam had been presented to John Booth's sons by their uncle Richard. Warlaby and its show-yard wonders. — We now approach the zenith of Booth fame — the later achievements of that Achilles of British show-yard war, Richard Booth (late of Stud- ley), who succeeded to his father's estate of Warlaby, in the grassy valley of the Wiske, in 1835. In his later years Thomas Booth had not endeavored to give the herd at Warlaby any special prominence. He had devoted fifty years of his useful life to the interests of the breed, and had lived to see the type created by 124 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. his skill and genius recognized as one of the chief sources of Short-horn excellence. He was content, therefore, to leave to younger men the active "pushing" of their favorites. It is said that Richard on his entrance at Warlaby did not at first contemplate any special effort in the line of Short-horn breeding. Unlike his brother John — who had the traditional York- shire love for the excitements of the race- course and the hunting field — Richard had never been given to active pursuits, and " was only a quiet gig-man" from the early days. Happily for the breed, however, he changed his mind in relation to cattle-breeding and de- voted the remainder of his days to the upbuild- ing of what was beyond all question the most remarkable herd of its time and one of the greatest known in Short-horn history. Thomas Booth had left at Warlaby cows of of the Halnaby (Strawberry), Farewell, Blos- som, Broughton, Dairymaid and Christon fami- lies. To this collection Richard added old Isa- bella, by Pilot, then in her sixteenth year but still breeding. Killerby was at this date and for some years afterward in the ascendant so far as public notoriety was concerned. The victories of Bracelet and Necklace, of Manta- lini, Ladythorne, Birthday and Hamlet had drawn all eyes upon the work of John Booth, but Richard of Warlaby was meantime buck- KILLERBY AND WARLABY. 125 ling on his armor. He bought Bracelet's son Buckingham, bearing 50 per cent of Old Cherry blood, from his brother John; having already sent his own grand cow, White Strawberry, to be bulled by Lord Lieutenant (4260), of Mr. Raine's breeding. White Strawberry was prob- ably the best cow at Warlaby at that time. She was bred in every direction from the closest affinities of blood, her ancestors, male and fe- male, being filled by repeated crosses with the blood of Albion and Pilot. She was a magnifi- cent broad-backed, wide-breasted animal, quite equal in merit to those buxom matrons, the red Anna and the roan Isabella by Pilot, the two best cows that either of the herds had pre- vious to 1835 produced. The white bull Leon- ard (4210) was the result of this Booth-Eaine union. In those days color did not condemn good cattle to destruction. Leonard was called a "little" bull, but the Booths were never par- tial to big ones. Moreover, he had great loins and widely-spread ribs. He was also rather heavy in the horn, but the laird of Warlaby had confidence in his value as a sire and placed him in service. His blood, blended with that of Buckingham through the veins of that grand galaxy of Booth-bred cows, Isabella, White Strawberry, Bracelet and Charity, ultimately found issue in the world-renowned Crown Prince (10087), the bull of all Booth bulls; the bull that 126 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. was to Warlaby what Duke of Northumberland was to Kirklevington or Champion of England to Sittyton. Faith, Hope and Charity. — It was not until 1846 that Warlaby closed in earnest with the ruling ring-side powers of the United Kingdom. John Booth was out with a strong herd, includ- ing Necklace, Birthday, Mantalini, Gem and Hamlet— the latter regarded by John Booth as the best bull ho ever bredc It was a significant fact that one of Richard's earliest ventures in the show-field had been made with a roan cow called Faith, of the Farewell family0 She was a large and excellent cow, but somewhat mas- culine, and could only get a second against Necklace at the Yorkshire meoting, but her name represented the foundation upon which Warlaby built for the future — implicit confi- dence in the value of the blood combinations there at work. From Faith sprang Hope in the form of a roan daughter of that name — got by the white bull Leonard — that went to the Yorkshire Show in 1845 as a two-year-old and there became one of the first of a long and truly regal line of Warlaby winners. In 1846 Richard Booth made his bow at the Royal, held that year in the Tyneside Country, near Newcastle. Bracelet and Necklace were there, but fortunately had graduated into the class for " extra stock." Leonard's daughter JOHN BOOTH'S BIRTHDAY AT FOUR YEARS OLD. THE BOOTH Cow VIVANDIERE AT FIVE YEARS. Bred by John Outhwaiti, Bainesse, Yorkshire, England. KILLERBY AND WARLABY. 127 Hope, then three years old, defeated all other cows of her age in the yard, repeating the per- formance at the Yorkshire at Wakefield. Not only did the handsome Hope accomplish this in 1846, but what was even more to the point dur- ing that same year she produced to the cover of Buckingham the red heifer Charity, that sub- sequently attained imperishable renown as the mother of Crown Prince (10087).— This extraordinary breeding bull was a roan, dropped by Charity May 10, 1849, to a service by the white Fitz Leonard (7010). Mr. Carr says: "Of Charity, who so long graced the Warlaby pastures, it is sufficient to say that she was the personifica- tion of all that is beautiful in Short-horn shape. Such was her regularity of form that a straight wand laid along her side longitudinally from the lower flank to the forearm and from the hips to the upper part of the shoulder blades touched at almost every point; her quarters were so broad, her crops and shoulders so full, her ribs so boldly projected, and the space be- tween them and the well-cushioned hips so arched over with flesh as to form a continuous line. It was difficult for the most hypercritical eye to detect a failing point in this perfectly- molded animal, and it was in consequence of Mr. Booth's high appreciation of her merits and those of her son that he made such free use of 128 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLK Crown Prince. Charity won every prize for which she was shown save one, when she was beaten as a calf by another of the same herd, after which her career was one of unvaried success. She was thrice decked with the white rosette at the Royal and thrice at the Yorkshire meetings." The Prince proved probably the greatest stock-getter of all the many celebrated bulls ever used at Warlaby. He was never shown, so val- uable were his services in the breeding herd; his capacity in that respect was attested not only by such champion show cattle as Necta- rine Blossom and the four peerless "Queens," but his bulls — for one of which, the champion Windsor, Mr. Booth refused £1,000 — were in demand from all parts of the Kingdom. But one of his sons, Duke of Buckingham, was ever sold, Mr. Booth preferring to retain the owner- ship of all. They were let and used with re- markable results on some of the best herds of their time. Mr. Carr, the accomplished histo- rian of the Booths, said of Crown Prince: "To the visitor at Warlaby I would say, ' Si monu- mentum requiris, circumspice!" If you ask where is his monument, look around you. Isabella Buckingham and other celebrities. — Isabella, by Pilot, had produced nine calves before her transfer to Warlaby, but she there gave birth at the extreme age of eighteen years KILLERBY AND WARLABY. 129 to the white heifer Isabella (Vol. VI, page 405, Coates' Herd Book), by Young Matchem (4422), that subsequently produced the white Fitz Leonard (7010), sire of Crown Prince (10087); the big, broad-backed, heavy-loined roan sire and show bull Vanguard (10994), that acquired fame in the great Booth-bred herd of Mr. Torr, and the roan heifers Innocence and Isabella Buckingham. Innocence in turn produced the white Leonidas (10414), that sired the famous Monk (11824) — also white — one of the best of the Warlaby bulls. Carr says that the hair of Leonidas was so long that it fairly " waved in the wind, like the wool on a sheep's back." Isabella Buckingham, "a superb cow of great substance," was a roan, dropped March 29, 1845, and as her name implies was a daughter of Bracelet's son Buckingham. She thus joined the blood of one of the greatest of all Killerby cows to that of the queenly Isabella. The "im- posing grandeur" of the Warlaby Isabellas was a theme upon which admirers of the herd ever loved to dwell, and Isabella Buckingham of that line, like Charity, reaped a rich harvest of ribbons and rosettes. Indeed after 1846 Warlaby 's place in the Na- tional shows was for many years unquestioned. At the Northampton Royal of 1847 Cherry Blos- som (by Buckingham), a noble cow "with mas- sive fore quarters and of stately presence," was 130 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. first; Isabella Buckingham was first-prize two- year-old, and Charity the first-prize yearling. At the same show held at York in 1848 Hope, Charity and Isabella were all winners. At the Norwich Royal of 1849 Charity was first and Isabella second, Cherry Blossom heading the post-graduate class, and at the Highland Show at Glasgow they repeated in Scotland what they had accomplished " South o' Tweed." Meantime Hope had produced to Buckingham the roan bull Hopewell (10332), that early dem- onstrated his mettle by winning first as a year- ling at Leeds in 1849. Hopewell became a sire of great renown, Mr. Booth receiving for his services while on hire in various herds the great sum of £1,000. To the cover of Cherry Blos- som's own brother, Baron Warlaby (7813), Hope gave birth to the short-legged, thrifty roan bull Harbinger (10297), that won as a yearling at the Exeter Royal of 1850, and afterward proved a wonderful stock-getter, siring the prize cow Bridesmaid and Red Rose, the dam of the won- derful "Queens" to be mentioned further on. He also became known on this side of the At- lantic as the sire of Mr. Alexander's imp. Ma- zurka, ancestress of a very noted American tribe. Isabella Buckingham was first-prize cow at same show. Windsor (14013) and the Blossoms. — We have already noted the appearance of the first of this KILLERBY AND WARLABY. 131 family,Cherry Blossom, in the show-yard. In 1851 the roan four-year-old cow Plum Blossom, by Buckingham,* in calf to Crown Prince, won the first prize at the Windsor Royal, and in Octo- ber following she gave birth to a white bull calf that afterward carried all before him at the National and Northern county shows. In honor of his mother's victory at the Eoyal he was dubbed Windsor. The calf began his win- nings at Sheffield the following summer. That same year another of this family, Rose Blossom, gained first as a two-year-old at the Royal. Windsor made ten shows and won nine first prizes, being the "bull card" of the Warlaby exhibit from 1852 to 1855. He was spoken of as "the Comet of modern times. A very sym- metrical animal, of extraordinary length, with a good masculine head and horn, a well-formed neck, a very deep and prominent breast, and well-covered, obliquely-laid shoulders; his back was admirably formed — firm and level — and his ribs were finely arched up to the shoulders, forming a cylindrical shape throughout; his *Pium Blossom, according to Carr, was "a level, lengthy, short-legged cow of great substance. She had abundance of hair, of a rich purple roan, a very sweet head and high-bred appearance. While still but a slip of a heifer (for Plum Blossom was no hot-house nursjing, but a wilding of the fields from her birth) Mr. Eastwood, visiting Warlaby with the late Mr. Booth, had the sagacity to foresee the perfection to which she would ma- ture. He made tempting overtures to compass her transfer to Towneley, which he flattered himself the latter did not seem disinclined to entertain; but on reviving the subject after dinner Mr. Booth dashed his hopes by in- timating that he could not allow him to ' put in his thumb and pull out this plum.' " 132 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. quarters were very long and flat, his thighs, flank and twist remarkably deep and full, and his legs short and fine below the knee. From the top of his shoulder to the tip of his brisket he measured four feet ten inches." After win- ning at the Carlisle Royal in 1855 an Australian breeder offered £l.OOO for him, which proposi- tion Mr. Booth declined. Windsor was sire of the great show cow Soldier's Bride, presently to be mentioned. A few years later the big, all-conquering Nectarine Blossom, by Crown Prince, appeared. In 1857 she was the first-prize cow at York. In 1858 she was first at the Royal, first at the Yorkshire and winner of the 100-guinea cup at Durham Show as best animal in the yard. In 1859 she was again first among cows at the Royal. Of this tribe also was that broad, thick- fleshed prize cow Venus Victrix, shown by John Booth, as* already noticed. Bride, Bridesmaid and Bride Elect. — A branch of Mr. Booth's favorite old Halnaby tribe threw out a blooming bevy of show-yard favorites between the years 1847 and 1857, be- ginning with Bagatelle by Buckingham, and including Bride, by Hopewell, Bridesmaid by Harbinger, and the extraordinary white cow Bride Elect by Vanguard (10994). The latter was regarded as the wonder of her day in re- spect to her astonishing development of bosom KILLERBY AND WARLABY. 133 and fore quarters, and also carried a beautiful head and horn. She was a leading winner in the Warlaby show herds from 1854 to 1858. The quartette of " Queens."— The same Hal- naby or Strawberry tribe that gave Warlaby these Brides appeared again in full flower just as Bride Elect began to lose her bloom;* Red Rose, by Harbinger, producing to the cover of Crown Prince that remarkable group of heifers Queen of the May, Queen Mab, Queen of the Vale, and finally the noble Queen o f the Ocean. It is related that a blank check tendered by Rev. J. Bolden for Red Rose — the dam of these celebrities — when she was a heifer was refused. Mr. Booth's vision as to her future usefulness was in this case prophetic, as he was afterward offered 1,500 guineas for Queen of the May, the first of the daughters to enter the show-yard. This heifer began winning as a yearling at the Chelmsford Royal of 1856. Queen Mab, "the Greek beauty/' entered the prize list as a year- ling at the same society's show at Shrewsbury in 1857. Queen of the Vale came forward in 1858. Queen of the Ocean was presented as a cow at the Battersea Royal of 1862, receiving first in her class and gold medal as best female in the yard. That same year she won the 100- *Old Cuddy, longtime herdsman for Mr. Booth, would say: " Aye! yen's poor auld Bride Elect. Did ye ever see sic an a breast and sic leegrht tim- bers? Yan wad wonder how sic bane could bear sae muckle beef. Look at her rumps and thighs, and loins, and aboon a', that breast 1 Why there be an aist plenty for twa beasts 1 ' 134 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. guinea cup championship at Durham County Show. In 1863, shown with Soldier's Bride, she was one of the first-prize pair of cows at the Worcester Royal, and first at the York- shire, Northumberland, North Lancashire, Cra- ven, Halifax and Keighley Shows. Queen of the May has been described as al- most a model. Her loins and chine were broad and deeply covered, her head sweetly feminine and her shoulders, girth and neck veins fault- less. Her quarters were long and level; her only weakness being at the thigh. She was unfortunately permanently injured on a rail- way journey. Queen of the Yale and Queen Mab were described in the Journal of the High- land Agricultural Society, after winning first and second respectively at Perth, in the follow- ing language: "Queen of the Vale is a cow of faultless proportions, a perfect parallelogram in form, with well-fleshed, obliquely-laid shoulders, a good head and a very sweet neck and bosom, sweeping finely into the shoulders, the points of which are completely hidden by the full neck vein. Queen Mab is, if possible, still more remarka- ble than her sister for her broad, thick, level loins, depth of twist and armful of flank ; but she is now perhaps less faultless, as her hind quarters are becoming plain and patchy from fat. She is, however, equal, if not superior, to Queen of the Vale in her mar- velous capacity of girth, fore rib and bosom. Like her sister, she maintains her cylindrical proportions wonderfully throughout, the ribs retaining their circular form up to the shoulders, with which they blend without any depression either at the crops or behind the elbow, and from thence the fore quarters taper beauti- fully to the head." The massive Queen of the Ocean was a royal specimen of her race, with the traditional KILLERBY AND WARLABY. 135 Booth wealth of flesh, shortness of leg and perfect fore quarters. The Battersea judges called her "all that a cow should be." She became the dam of the bull Prince of Batter- sea, that won a lot of prizes as a calf and yearling but died from the effect of overheat- ing at the Newcastle Royal of 1864. The great price of 800 guineas had been refused for him. Queen of the Vale had a heifer, Queen of the May 2d, that also became a great winner. Three of the victories of Queen Mab, Nectarine Blossom and Queen of the May reduced to Mr. Booth's possession the Durham Society's 100- guinea challenge cup, which thereafter became an heirloom of the house of Warlaby. Vivandiere, Campfollower and Soldier's Bride. — One of the most remarkable of the Warlaby matrons was the prolific Vivandiere, by Buckingham. Her description indicates that she was what the Scotch herdsmen call "a lady coo," or what is in common cattle- breeding parlance a "breedy" cow. Mr. Carr incidentally gives us Richard Booth's testi- mony to be added to that of nearly all other eminent breeders to the effect that good breed- ing cows usually have good heads. He says: "The modest Vivandiere, with her beautiful head, was frequently unobserved, except by the admirers of a well-filled udder, unless brought into notice by the quiet observation from her 136 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. owner 'Look at that head and hair!'" She had ten calves, among them being the prize- winning Prince Alfred, Prince Arthur, Wel- come, Vivacity, Verity, Soldier's Nurse, and the great cow Campfollower. Prince Alfred gained many prizes in 1864 and 1865, was used at Windsor, was let one year to the Emperor Na- poleon III for the French Government Experi- mental Farm and afterward spent two years at Lady Pigot's; Her Ladyship being an enthusi- astic breeder of Booth Short-horns, and produc- ing among other celebrities Rosedale, by Va- lasco. Mr. Booth did not make a practice of showing his stock bulls, but Dixon says that "old Prince Alfred after making a perfect Ulysses of himself in the home farms of princes, emperors and baronets came out and was first in the bull class in the eleventh year of his age." One of the most valuable cows ever produced at Warlaby was Vivandiere's daughter Camp- follower, by Crown Prince. She was described as "a truly noble cow, with queenly gait." Moreover, she would have been a profitable cow in any working dairy. Indeed, she died at last from milk fever, after giving birth to the heifer Soldier's Nurse, that was presented by Richard Booth to his nephews at Killerby. In the hands of the latter the " Nurse" produced Soldier's Dream and the thick, heavy-fleshed CM ^ a a; .« ^ I? It 8f f KILLERBY AND WARLABY. 137 bull Brigade Major, by Valasco. Campfollower probably contributed as much to the ultimate fame of Warlaby as any other member of the herd. Bred to Windsor (14013) she produced in 1859 the celebrated white show cow Soldier's Bride. As a yearling the latter grew into an astonishing specimen of early maturity, and later on became one of the most magnificent cows of her time, her grandly-arched ribs, beautiful bosom and great heart-girth marking her as one of the outstanding Short-horns of her day and generation. She traveled the cir- cuit for several years with her renowned stable companion Queen of the Ocean, had the honor of defeating that extraordinary cow upon sev- eral occasions, and in 1865 became the'dam of the roan heifer Bride of the Vale, sold to Wal- cott & Campbell of New York for $5,000. In the spring of 1864 Campfollower dropped the roan bull Commander-in-Chief (21451), by Valasco (15443), in reference to which the venerable Mr. Wetherell said: "He is the best bull I have seen since the days of Comet/' In the hands of Mr. T. C. Booth, who succeeded to the possession of Warlaby Herd, Commander-in- Chief acquired international fame. Death of Richard Booth.— On the 31st of October, 1864, "full of years and honors," Rich- ard Booth died at the age of seventy-six. Shortly before his death he had refused an 138 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. offer of £15,000 for his herd, which, while at that time reduced to some thirty head, included, among other "future-great" individuals, Lady Blithe's sensational yearling heifer Lady Fra- grant and Campfollower's baby bull Com- mander-in-Chief — a pair destined to add, in other hands, fresh laurels to the house of Booth. The delightful "Boswell" of this re- markable family of Short-horn breeders (Wil- liam Carr) takes leave of Richard Booth, "the good old man," in the following characteristic language : "He sleeps in peace beneath the shade of the old grey tower of Ainderby, that looks down upon the scene of his useful and quiet labors. But Warlaby is there still, and his kith and kin retain its hall and herd. And it may be added — for it is a circum- stance too well known to savor at all of flattery — that his nephew and successor, Mr. T. C. Booth, is no unworthy or unskillful heir, while his amiable wife lends a new charm to the old place; and his rising family gives the promise of the continuance of the long- continued Warlaby herd for generations yet to come. " The Booth method of breeding. — The Messrs. Booth always adhered to. the proposition that they secured their best results by interbreed- ing their own established tribes. At the same time they were aware of the fact that inbreed- ing the cattle in their possession was quite a different proposition from, and was probably attended by more dangers than, inbreeding as practiced by the Collings. In the latter case the cattle that were incestuously bred had no prior relationships. With the Booth stock as KILLERBY AND WARLABY. 139 it existed at Warlaby inbreeding meant the mating of close affinities, as nearly all ran back originally to Hubback and Favorite through a hundred different channels. So we find them introducing at a comparatively early period the Mason blood of Matchem — to which Bates also resorted later — and Lord Stanley (4269), of the Earl of Carlisle's breeding. The oreeding of John Booth's Bracelet to Col. Cradock's Mus- sulman, and of Richard Booth's White Straw- berry to Lord Lieutenant, of Raine's blood, proved to be wise procedure. Neither Buck- ingham nor Leonard, the two bulls secured from those outside services, were extraordi- nary individuals. In fact the former was called "shabby." But when the fresh blood (50 per cent) carried by these bulls was re- duced to 25 per cent, as found in their prog- eny, the result, as must appear from the fore- going recital, was all that could be desired. Indeed, in the case of the matchless sire Crown Prince both of these fresh currents met in di- luted form. Lord Stanley, bred to Bracelet, gave John Booth's noted show cow Birthday. Two later attempts at outcrossing were made, one through the bull Exquisite (8048) and the other through Water King (11024), but both were considered at the time as having been unsuccessful. Nevertheless Isabella Buck- ingham's daughter Sample, by Exquisite, was 140 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. bred to Crown Prince, and the product of that union — a heifer called Specimen — was (con- trary to Mr. Booth's usual practice) bred back to her own sire (Crown Prince); the double cross of that bull upon the outcrossed cow pro- ducing the prize-winning Lady Grace, that was first at the Cleveland Show at Yarm in 1861. In her the true Booth type was completely re- gained, and her daughter Graceful was one of a pair of prize heifers at Worcester Royal. Carr states that both of these animals were of robust constitution, with abundance of hair. Exquisite was bought by Messrs. Booth and Torr at the Wiseton sale at thirteen months old for 370 guineas, He is said to have had plenty of substance and " a profusion of beau- tiful hair," and combined Mason's and Earl Spencer's blood. Water King was a roan, bred by Mr. Torr from Baron Warlaby (7813) out of the Bates Waterloo cow Water Witch by 4th Duke of Northumberland (3649). While Mr. Booth did not fancy his calves, yet one of his daughters — Peach Blossom — was good enough to go into the show herd in 1852, and won second to Bridesmaid at the Royal at Gloucester. A Water King heifer — Welcome, from Campfol- lower — was called "homely," but her daughter Welcome Hope, by Hopewell, was good. Old Cuddy said of her: "Aye, Hopewell has putten KILLERBY AND WARLABY. 141 in some gude work when he gat that heifer. She wad make up a slashin' cow, though she have a touch o' Bates bluid in her; but then, ye ken, Hope well wad mak' up a' deficiencies." The fecundity of the Booth cattle was un- favorably affected by high feeding for show. They had not been' as intensely bred as the Bates Duchesses. The limited number of the latter produced during a period of nearly fifty years by Mr. Bates — as shown by the table printed on page 113 — was unquestionably due to incestuous mating. The complete extinc- tion, in the female line, of some of the best Warlaby tribes — such as the Blossoms and Charities — was laid at the door of the exacting requirements of the Royal and other sjiow- yards. We may conclude this reference to the work of John and Eichard Booth by the following quotation from Saddle and Sirloin: "A more remarkable contrast than these two celebrated broth- ers, both in form and temperament, is seldom met with in prac- tice. John, the elder, was, like -Robert Colling, perhaps the more original thinker of the two, but not the same steady worker. He was more the man of the world, fond of a gallop with the Bedale and always ripe and ready for a little fun; while Richard was much more of the dignified recluse and thought 'no place like home.' John delighted to go off on judging expeditions, while Richard never donned the ermine and only cared for a good lodg- ing or his ' ease at mine inn ' during a great show, that he might see a few select standard-bearers, who would share his winning pleasure or sympathize with him if he were beaten. John was an apt and ready speaker and never sat down without some quaint, racy sentiment which set the table in a roar ; Richard merely rose 142 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. and bowed to the Chairman and Vice in turn and let himself down again, with a simple word of thanks to the company. One was more off-handed and hardly valued his herd enough ; the other was the man of business who appraised it to a nicety." The Warlaby bulls were for years in such demand that it was with difficulty customers could be supplied. Ireland's Short-horn herds were fairly dominated by them, while in Eng- land such distinguished breeders as Lady Pigot, Messrs. Torr, Bruere, Outhwaite, Peel, Pawlett and others, by their intelligent manipulation of Booth blood, assisted materially in giving it that high renown which it has so long enjoyed. CHAPTER VI. OTHER EMINENT ENGLISH BREEDERS. The earlier volumes of the English Herd Book contain the names of many successful breeders, but the operations of most of them were more or less obscured by the brilliant achievements at Ketton, Barmpton, Killerby, Kirklevington and Warlaby. It nlust not be supposed, however, that all early knowledge of the art of Short-horn-breeding began and ended with the eminent breeders mentioned in the foregoing pages. The careers of these Napo- leons of the trade necessarily occupy our atten- tion somewhat to the disadvantage of other worthy workers in the cause of improvement, but no survey of the foundation upon which our American Short-horn-breeding rests would be complete without some reference at this point to a few other herds that existed prior to, or contemporaneous with, the period when our leading pioneer buyers entered the English market. Mason of Chilton.— About midway between, the cities of Durham and Darlington Mr. Chris- (143). 144 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. topher Mason of Chilton established a herd from which Kirklevington, Killerby, Warlaby, Ury, Sittyton and various American herds derived undoubted elements of strength — various de- tractors to the contrary notwithstanding. Mr. Wetherell always insisted that "Mason got rid of the open shoulders and improved the fore quarters generally." The foundation of the herd was drawn largely from the stock of Mr. Maynard of Eryholme. One section of it de- scended • through Miss Lax, by Dalton Duke (188), a daughter of "the beautiful Lady May- nard," bought by Charles Colling, as detailed in a preceding chapter. From this cow and her white heifer, Lily by Favorite (252), descended the great family of Victorias afterward so pop- ular on both sides the Atlantic. From Lily's family also came Earl Spencer's Hecatomb (2102), that defeated Mr. Bates' renowned Duke of Northumberland (1940) at York in 1838. From Lily also descended Great Mogul (14661), first-prize bull calf at Salisbury Royal; like- wise Exquisite (8048), for which Messrs. Booth and Torr paid $1,850 as a yearling; and also the Royal prize-winning roan Bolivar (25649), sold to Mr. Brierley. Another section of the Chilton herd de- scended from the cow7 Fortune, bred by Charles Colling, and running through Bolingbroke (86), Foljambe (263) and Hubback (319) to * cow OTHER EMINENT ENGLISH BREEDERS. 145 bred by Mr. Maynard. She proved very pro- lific, giving Mr. Mason ten calves (of which six were bulls) between 1796 and 1807. America is indebted to Fortune, as foundation dam, for the Woodburn Miss Wileys and the fa- mous Bedford and Warfield Loudon Duch- esses. Also for the Baroness family, ten of which sold at E. G. Bedford's sale in 1874 for an average of $600 each. Our Lady Chester- fords claim a similar origin; and of this tribe was Dodona, a noted English cow that, after having been sold to Earl Spencer as barren, in the skillful hands of Mr. Jonas Webb had 190 descendants within a period of twenty-five years. Matchem (2281), sire of the Matchem cow that gave Mr. Bates his Oxford tribe, was bred by Mason from a Fortune foundation. The Matchem blood also went into the Booth herds. Usurer (9768), used by Lord Ducie upon the Bates Duchesses, came from Cassandra, daughter of Mr. Mason's No. 25; and of simi- lar extraction was the cow Goodness — ances- tress of the American family of that name- that sold at auction in Kentucky for $2,025. Mr. Mason made a memorable closing-out sale in 1829, which was largely attended by leading breeders, Earl Spencer being one of the heaviest buyers. At this sale the highest- priced lot was the three-year-old roan heifer Lady Sarah, by Satellite (1420). purchased by 10 146 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Capt. Barclay of Ury, along with several other females, and taken to Scotland. Her dam was the famous Portia. At Ury Lady Sarah was bred back to her own son, Monarch (4495), the produce being the great breeding bull Mahomed, (6170), sire of The Pacha (7612) and other ani- mals from whence many of Scotland's greatest cattle have descended. From this same Mason sale also came Mary Ann (by Sillery), ances- tress of a noted Scottish family. From Mr. Holmes' purchases at this sale (taken to Ire- land) Mr. Amos Cruickshank afterward ob- tained the foundation dam of the Sittyton Vic- torias; and last, but by no means least, we may pass some credit to Mason of Chilton for the ancestral dam of the now-celebrated Cruick- shank bull-breeding Clipper tribe. Lord Althorpe (Earl Spencer). — The nobility displayed interest in the breed in the early days as now. One of the first to engage in the business was Lord Althorpe, afterwards Earl Spencer, of Wiseton, near Doncaster. He was prominent in politics for many years and on that account unable to devote as much atten- tion to the work as tenant farmers could give to it, but he nevertheless managed to inform him- self thoroughly and finally accumulated proba- bly the largest herd of the day in England.* * Earl Spencer was at one time Chancellor of the Exchequer. Still he had a much greater passion for Short-horns than for politics. John Grey of OTHER EMINENT ENGLISH BREEDERS. 147 Bates early acquired an influence over him, as- sisted him in some of his selections of breeding stock, was frequently his guest at Wiseton, and let for his use one or two of the earlier Duchess bulls, but subsequently their relations became strained, owing, it is said, to His Lordship's endeavoring to hire away from Bates Robert Bell, whom he desired to put in charge of the Wiseton Short-horns. At Robert Colling's sale Lord Althorpe pur- chased the five-year-old cow Nonpareil at 370 guineas, the four-year-old Rosette at 300 guin- eas, the three-year-old bull Regent (544) — all by Wellington — at 145 guineas, and Diana, by Favorite, at 78 guineas. Mr. Bates warned him that in his judgment these were not of desira- ble breeding on account of the large infusion of the blood of Ben (70). He also advanced the superior claims of his Duchesses, and induced Althorpe to send the high-priced Rosette to be bred to Duke (226), after which the Duke bull His Grace (311) was hired from Bates. At the Mason sale His Lordship bought sixteen fe- males and a bull, paying up to 145 guineas. Dilston, a man who attained high honor in connection with North-Country agriculture, usually called on His Lordship at the Government offices when in London. "You've come about cows, sir," observed the attendant, "so ye'll no' have long to wait." In his younger days Grey was a schoolmate of John and Richard Booth at Richmond. He was a great lover of cattle and was wont to spend his vacations with the Collings, Charge and Maynard. Dr. Tate once asked him what he found to talk about during- those visits, to which the youth replied in due classic phrase: "Comet et id genus omne. ''—Saddle and Sirloin. 148 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. The Earl was more or less of a speculator in cattle, but was credited with having done much toward making Short-horns £, by Comet Halley— George Renick, Ross County 1,205 Moss Rose, roan two-year-old heifer, by Stapleton (2698) — Jonathan Renick, Pickaway County 1,200 Malina, red-and-white two-year-old, bred by Whitaker — Isaac Cunningham, Kentucky 1,005 Blossom, red six-year-old, by Fitz Favorite (1042)— R. R. Seymour, Ross County 1,000 Matilda, red-and-white, five years old, by Imperial (2151)— Arthur Watts, Ross County 1,000 Gaudy, red-and-white, five years old, bred by A. L. Maynard — James M. Trimble, Highland County 985 Lily of the Valley of the Tees, roan, five years old, bred by Raine — Thomas Huston, Pickaway County 950 Celestina, roan, two years old, bred by Whitaker — Thomas Huston, Pickaway County 930 Beauty of the West, red two-year-old heifer from imp. Blossom, by Fitz Favorite— Asahel Renick, Pickaway County 900 Lady Abernethy, roan yearling (imported), bred by Mr. Wy lie— Thomas Huston, Pickaway County 815 Illustrious, roan yearling, by Emperor (9174)— Abram Renick, Kentucky 775 Lady of the Lake, red, little white, yearling heifer, by Re- former (2505) out of imp. Rose of Sharon— R. R. Sey- mour, Ross County 775 Poppy, red-and-white heifer calf, by Rantipole (2478) out of Blossom by Fitz Favorite— Harness Renick, Pickaway County 610 Pink, red-and-white heifer calf, by imp. Duke of York (1941) , dam imp. Duchess of Liverpool— William Trimble, Highland County 575 Duchess of Liverpool, imported in 1834, but unpedigreed — William M. Anderson, Ross County 570 Lady Paley, red-and-white heifer calf, by Rantipole (2478), dam imp. Flora — Alexander Renick, Ross County 510 Lilac, red, little white, yearling, by Rantipole (2478), dam Duchess of Liverpool— Elias Florence, Pickaway County 425 May Flower, red-and-white heifer calf, by Duke of York (1941), dam imp. Matilda— B. Harrison, Fayette County 405 Lucy, roan calf, pedigree in doubt — George Radcliff, Pick- away County 405 208 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Calypso, red-and-white, five years old, imported in 1834, sired by Bertram (1716)— S. McNeil, Ross County 325 Lady Blanche, sold as doubtful breeder — Charles Davis, Ross County 250 Lady Colling, doubtful breeder— J. T. Webb, Ross County. . . 205 BULLS. Duke of Norfolk (1939), red-and-white yearling, imported, sired by Norfolk (2377)— Robert Stewart, Ross County. . 1,255 Young Waterloo (2817), roan, three years old, bred by Bates, of Princess blood— R. D. Lilley, Highland County, for Gov. Trimble and others 1,250 Matchem (2283) , roan, five years old, bred by J. Woodhouse, sired by Imperial (2151)— Renick, Cunningham and War- field of Kentucky 1,200 Greenholme Experiment (2075), roan, two years old, bred by Whitaker— James M. Trimble, Highland County : 1,150 Duke of York (1941), red-and-white three-year-old, bred by Whitaker, got by Frederick (1060)— R. R. Seymour, Ross County 1,120 Goldfinder (2066), roan yearling, bred by J. Lawson, sired by Charles (1815)— Renick, Cunningham and Warfield of Kentucky 1,095 Nimrod (2371) , roan yearling, bred by Mr. Tempest, sired by Norfolk — Elias Florence, Pickaway County 1,040 Whitaker (2836), roan two-year-old, bred by Whitaker, sired by Norfolk, dam Minna, hence own brother to imp. Jo- sephine— WilUam M. Anderson, Ross County 855 Rantipole (2478) , red-and-white four-year-old, bred by W. F. Paley— Arthur Watts, Ross County 810 Logan (2218), roan yearling, by Duke of York (1941), dam imp. Young Mary— J. Renick 750 Earl of Darlington (1944), roan three-year-old, bred by Bates and sired by Belvedere— B. Harrison, Fayette County. . 710 John Bull (2161), red, little white, bull calf, by Earl of Dar- lington, dam Gaudy— William Renick Jr., Ohio 615 Duke of Leeds (1938), roan yearling, by Norfolk — John Grouse, Ross County 575 Windham (2845) , red-and-white yearling, bred by Earl Spen- cer—Charles Davis, Ross County 500 Davy Crockett (3571), roan yearling, recorded as from imp. Young Mary— Peter Ayres, Ohio 490 Snow Drop (2654) , white yearling, by Reformer (2505) , dam Lily of the Valley of the Tees— Stewart & McNeil, Ohio. 480 DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS. 209 Independence (2152), roan yearling, by Earl of Darlington, dam imp. Matilda— Hagler & Peterson, Ross County 400 Commodore Perry (1859) , red yearling, by Reformer, dam imp. Teeswater — W. H. Creighton, Madison County 400 Goliah (2068), red yearling by Earl of Darlington, dam imp. Calypso— Isaac V. Cunningham, Scioto County 300 24 females sold for $19,545 ; an average of $814.37 19 bulls sold for 14,995 ; an average of 789.20 43 animals sold for 34,540 ; an average of 803.25 The bulls Reformer and Columbus were sold at this sale as " unsound/7 and as they there- fore commanded a low price they are not in- cluded above. The company made a present to Felix Renick upon this occasion of the roan six-months-old bull calf Paragon of the West (4649), sired by imp. Duke of York (1941) out of imp. Rose of Sharon. This was a graceful act upon the part of the stockholders, as the calf was regarded as perhaps the most valu- able young bull in the possession of the com- pany at this date. Like his sire, the Duke of York, he proved a very superior stock-getter, and in the fall of 1837 won first prize as a year- ling at the Ohio State Fair at Columbus. Rose of Sharon's daughter, Lady of the Lake, pur- chased by Mr. Seymour, proved a great breeder. She never grew into a large cow, but was ex- ceedingly neat, with a very handsome head and prominent eyes. She was of a deep-red color, with a little white on each flank and star in forehead. She was sold to George Renick, for whom she bred five heifers, to-wit.: 1838 — 14 210 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Rose of Sharon 2d; by Comet Halley (1855); 1839 — Virginia, red -arid- white, by Powhatan 828^; 1840 — Thames, red, by Shakespeare (12062); 1842— Flora, roan, by Shakespeare, and in 1844 Lady of the Lake 2d, red-roan, by Young Shakespeare 1311. All of these heifers left a valuable progeny, some of which, in the hands of Abrain Renick of Kentucky, gained international fame. After the conclusion of this sale the imported bull Duke of Norfolk was resold to Gov. Vance and J. H. James1 of Champaign County for $1,400. Final sale in 1837.— On Oct. 24, 1837, the company's affairs were finally closed up by a sale of such stock as still remained in its hands, which consisted at that date of the animals sold as per following list: BULLS. Comet Halley (1855), light roan, bred by John Maynard; calv3d December, 1832; sired by Matchem (2281), dam by Frederick (1060)— George Renick and others 12,500 Acmon (1606) ,* roan, calved 1833 ; bred by W. Raine ; by Anti- Radical (1642) , dam Sally by Young Rockingham (2547) — M. L,. Sultivant & Co., Columbus, O 2,500 Hazlewood (2098), red-roan, calved April 9, 1836; bred by W. F. Paley ; got by Norfolk (2377)— Gov. Trimble and R. R. Seymour 700 Powhatan 828>£, red-and-white, calved Oct. 6, 1836 : got by imp. Comet Halley out of imp. Flora — Harness Renick. . 500 Bouncer (3196), roan, calved March 18,1836; bred by Col. Cradock; got by Magnum Bonum (2243) — John Walk, Pickaway County 450 *Acmon was a great show bull and also proved a superior stock-getter. DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS. 211 Santa Anna, roan, calved July 4, 1837; got by imp. Comet Halley out of Lily of the Valley of the Tees— J. C. Vance, Ohio Co., Va 425 COWS AND HEIFERS. Elizabeth (imported) , roan, calved in 1832 ; bred by T. Har- rison ; got by Memnon (2293) ; and calf — Gov. J. Vance and William Vance, Champaign County $1,450 Flora (imported), roan, seven years, by son of Young Al- bion (730) — M. L. Sullivant, Columbus 1,300 Matilda (imported), red-and- white, calved April 12, 1831 ; by Imperial (2151)— Allen Trimble, Highland County 1,220 Arabella* (imported), red-and-white, calved March, 1834; bred by R. Pilkington; got by Victory (5565) ; and calf— Dr. Arthur Watts, Chillicothe 1,200 Blush (imported) , white, calved Jan. 10, 1835 ; bred by Mr. Bowen; got by Monarch (2326) — John H. James, Cham- paign County 1,015 Emily (imported), " necked," calved Feb. 25, 1875; by Maxi- mus (2284) ; Asahel Renick, Pickaway County 875 Victress, roan, calved Jan. 8, 1836; get (in England) by Nor- folk (2377), dam imp. Meteor of the West— M. L. Sulli- vant, Columbus 700 Charlotte (imported), roan, calved March, 1833; bred by R. Pilkington; got by Alderman (1622)— J. G. White, Ross County 630 Fidelle (imported), roan, calved 1830; by Adrian (7720); bought of Whitaker, and the dam of bull Greenholme Experiment in the sale of 1836— Allen Trimble 610 6 bulls sold for $ 7,075; an average of $1,179.15 9 females sold for 9,000 ; an average of 1,000. 00~ 15 animals sold for 16,075 ; an average of 1,071.65 This was a period of great expansion. Values of all sorts were inflated by paper-currency is- sues, and cattle shared in the general " boom." Hence the great prices made at this sale. Allen speaks in his " History of the Short-horns" (page 'Arabella was a grand cow and proved a great breeder, producing for Dr. Watts many fine animals— among others the twin show cows Bessie Belle and Mary Grey. Her son Marshal (41990) was used by George Renick and sired many fine cattle. 212 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. 183) of the stockholders reaping "a large profit on their investment," but this was not true save in the case of a few of the minor members of the association, who were not buyers of cattle.* Nearly ail the capital stock subscribed was repaid in cattle at high prices. Had the ani- mals been resold soon the shareholders would have made a good profit, but most of them were in the business as a steady pursuit and kept the cattle until overtaken by the great depression that soon afterward set in. George Renick in- vested more liberally than any other one stock- holder and had the largest herd, but his sales of surplus stock were made at moderate prices, and in 1846 he was obliged on account of ad- vancing age to give up the management of his landed estates and his entire herd was offered at auction. "Hard times" prevailed, however, at that period and but one-half the cattle were sold, and those at ruinous figures. The other Renicks, Gov. Trimble, Messrs. Seymour, Sulli- vant, Vanmeter, Watts, et al., had also to be con- tent with moderate returns until the revival which set in about 1850. The prime object, however — the providing of material for the improvement of the Ohio and * Among1 these was a well-known capitalist, Lyne Starling of Columbus, who, when the agent of the company called after the last sale and paid him more than double the amount of his investment, was amazed, a,nd told Mr. Renick that he had intended the amount as a contribution for the improve- ment of the cattle of the country and had never expected a dollar in re- turn.—How. T. C. Jones, in Breeder's Gazette, Sept. 7, J6'«2. DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS. 213 Kentucky herds — had been attained, and in that fact the enterprising men who made these memorable importations found ample compen- sation. Speaking of the first importation, in a letter written July 26, 1834, Felix Renick said: "We have already had a number of applications to purchase some of them and have been offered 1500 for the youngest, a calf less than five months old. But we, as a company, have higher views than that of immediately realizing a little profit, provided it could be done. The object was first conceived and has so far been carried out for the good of the country, whether it has been well or illy executed is not for us to say." It is indeed difficult to overestimate the value of the Ohio Co.'s work. It gave to the West not only the Rose of Sharons, Young Marys, Young Phyllises and Josephines, but supplied crosses of fresh blood that proved powerful in- fluences for good upon the herds derived from earlier importations. The entire industry in Ohio and Kentucky felt the quickening touch, and in later years the full fruition of the fond- est hopes of the company were more than real- ized. Thomas Bates to Felix Renick. — The Ohio Co. had meditated a continuation of its impor- tations, but the financial drift of the times was not favorable. In December, 1837, Felix Ren- {ick had written to Mr. Bates in reference to further purchases, inquiring particularly about the Duke of Northumberland (1940). While nothing came of these negotiations, the ap- pended reply of Mr. Bates is given in full as 214 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. possessing some historic interest. The itali- cized sentence is especially characteristic and shows that in spite of all his claims for the Duchess blood Bates was fully aware of the fact that it was the Princess bull Belvedere that really made his herd. We quote: "KIRKLEVLNGTON, April, 1838.— I think it on the whole better not to send you any of my own cattle this season, the exchange being so much against you. Next year, as you say you intend to continue importing, I might furnish you with ten young heifers or young cows having had a calf or two, and five or six young bulls, either of the age you got the two last from me or a year older. "The Duke of Northumberland (1940) and Short-tail (2621) are the only bulls I am now using, and their stock is even more prom- ising than that of their sire Belvedere (1706). The four you got of me were all by Belvedere, and all my stock are by him and his sons. After the trials I have now had and seen of Short-horns for nearly sixty years nothing could induce me to use any bull that had not Belvedere's blood. You will find it all money thrown away to buy any bull that has not sprung from him. "Twenty-eight days after the birth of the Duke of Northum- berland (1940) , Brokenleg (Duchess 34th) , whom you will remem- ber, was again put to her sire Belvedere and brought 2d Duke of Northumberland. She has since brought me a heifer to her sire, and is now I expect in calf to Short-tail. "By putting Duke of York (1941) to the heifers you got of me you will bring their produce into disrepute. I will on no consid- eration whatever (if you would give me ten times the price I would otherwise have charged you for a heifer) sell you any heif- ers to put to any bulls but what I have bred, or are of my blood. Nor will I sell you at any price till you and the company you act with, under your joint hands, have solemnly promised not to do so. My object has never been to make money by breeding, but to improve the breed of Short-horns ; and if I know it I will not sell any to anyone who has not the same object in view. On this prin- ciple I began breeding, and I am convinced I have a better breed of Short-horns in my possession at present than there has been for the last fifty years, even in the best days of the Messrs. Col ling. "The bull you ask me about sending you, Duke of Northum- berland, is evcrthing I can wish in a bull, and Short-tail has taken DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS. 215 after 2d Hubback, of whom his dam (Duchess 32d) had two crosses. Short-tail's sister (Duchess 41st), the best animal in my posses- sion, I expect is in calf to the Duke of Northumberland. The six from which your two were taken were good , but the breed of the years 1835-6 were far superior to those six, though very good. Brokenleg (Duchess 34th) I offered you at 100 guineas. If you were to send twenty times that sum for her and. her produce I would not take it now. You will remember I told you after buy- ing the two heifers that if either of them died on the passage or did not breed when you got them home I would give you the two nearest in blood to them. Now (Red Rose 13th) a sister in blood to your Rose of Sharon (calved since you were here) has produced a heifer (2d Cambridge Rose) to her sire Belvedere ; and for the two I would not take 1,000 guineas. These would have been yours now had yours not bred. I will not sell either cow or calf, but I have no objection to sell the bulls I breed from them, or from my Duchess tribe, which are far better animals than the Red Rose tribe. I will not part with the females of these tribes at present." Mr. Clay's importations to Kentucky. — In 1836 and 1837 Mr. H. Clay Jr., Fayette Co., Ky., imported eleven head of Short-horns, including the bulls Lord Althorpe 658 and Neptune 743, and cows Britannia (roan), Victoria (white), by Osgodley, and Crocus (red-and-white), by Impe- rial (2151). The pedigrees of some of these cattle were imperfect or missing entirely. In 1838, in connection with Gen. James Shelby, Mr. Clay made a further importation, consisting of twelve head, including the bulls Cossack, alias Julius Caesar (3503), Don John 426, and cows Jane, Dorcas, Charity, Nerissa, Moss Hose by Eclipse, Columbine, Pet, Vixen, Princess and Protectress. The bull Cossack, or Julius Caesar, above mentioned, was a roan, bred by Mr. Top- ham, sired by Cossack (1880), bred by Richard 216 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Booth of Studley, dam imp. Moss Rose by Eclipse. He was imported as a calf, was after- ward sold to Benjamin Warfield, and left much good stock. At a sale held by Mr. Clay at Lex- ington in the fall of 1839 eight cows and heifers averaged $420 each, the highest price paid be- ing $835 for a two-year-old. Dr. Martin's importation of 1839.— Dr. Sam- uel D. Martin of Clark Co., Ky., who had been breeding Short-horns for some years, in 1839 sent an order to Mr. Paley for a shipment of cattle. Mr. Paley had assisted in the selections made for the Ohio Co. and filled this order by sending out nine head, including the cows Jessy (roan of A. L. Maynard's breeding), by Plenipo (4724); Beauty (red-roan), by Laurel (2188); Leonida (red), by Red Simon (2499); Rosalie (red-and-white), by Cadet (1770), dam Leonida, just mentioned; Sprightly (red-and- white), by Fitz Roslyn (2026), and Jessamine (roan), by Leoniclas (4211) out of imp. Jessy, mentioned above. The cow Sprightly gave birth in December, 1839, to a pair of twin bulls, afterward recorded as Specie (5289) and Specu- lation (5293), both bred by Mr. Paley, and sired by Mendoza (4456). Imp. Beauty produced to an English service the red bull calf Bullion (3240). R. Hutchcraft's importation. — Reuben H. Hutchcraftof Bourbon Co., Ky., imported seven DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS. 217 head from England in 1839, including the bulls Van Buren 1062, bred by Col. Cradock and sired by Magnum Bonum (2243) and the year- ling Don John (3603). The females included the roan yearling heifer Wild Rose, by Chorister (3378), bred by Mr. Watkin; the red cow Har- riet, by Grainford (2044), and the Magnum Bonum heifers Fatima, Beda and Blossom — all of Col. Cradock's breeding. Fayette County Importing Co. — The first "syndicate" formed in Kentucky for the pur- chase of English Short-horns was that repre- sented by the Fayette County Importing Co., which, in the spring of 1839, sent the Rev. R. T. Dillard and Mr. Nelson Dudley abroad as agents. They bought twenty-one head of cows and heifers and seven bulls. After arrival in Kentucky the cattle were placed upon the farm of David Sutton, near Lexington, and in July, 1840, were sold at auction. This was consid- ered a very superior lot and included such fine bulls as Eclipse (9069) and Carcase (3285), of S. Wiley's breeding. Among the females that afterward gave rise to good families of Short- horns were Victoria, by Plenipo; Fashion (dam of heifer calf Zelia, by Norfolk); Lady Eliza- beth, by Emperor; Rosabella 2d,by Velocipede, etc. Indeed, some of the best cattle bred in subsequent years in Kentucky and the West claimed descent from this selection, and on 218 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. this account we append herewith report of the sale: COWS AND HEIFERS. Victoria, roan, calved August, 1835; bred by J. E. Maynard, sired by Plenipo (4724)— R. Fisher $1,750 Miss Maynard, roan, calved 1837, bought of A. L. Maynard, sired by Chorister (3378)— A. McClure 1,005 Avarilda, white, calved April, 1846 ; bred by W. F. Paley, sired by Norfolk (2377)— John Allen 920 Fashion, roan, calved April, 1832 ; bred by W. Cooper, sired by Young Don Juan (8610) , and red-and-white heifer calf Zel'ia, by Norfolk (2377)— F. W. Williams 885 Miss Luck, roan, calved May 25, 1834 ; bought of Mr. Whit- aker, fired by Allison's Roan Bull (2999) — H. Clay Jr . . . . 800 Nancy, white, calved Jan. 1, 1837 ; sired by Reformer (2510) — C. J. Rogers 730 Tulip, roan, calved 1836, bred by Mr. Crofton, sired by Bach- elor (1666)— A. McClure 700 Beauty, roan, calved March, 1834 ; bought of A. L. Maynard, sired by Belvedere (1706)— H. Clay Jr 700 Lady Elizabeth,* roan, calved Feb. 4, 1838 ; bred by Mr. Crof- ton, sired by Emperor (1974)— H. Clay Jr 660 Splendor, roan, calved March, 1834 ; bred by Mr. Cattley, sired by Bedford Jr. (1701)— B. Gratz 650 Elizabeth, roan, calved October, 1832 ; bred by J. E. May- nard, sired by Plenipo (4724) —A. McClure 505 Rosabella 2d, roan, calved January, 1839; bought of Mr. Whitaker; sired by Velocipede (5552) , running to Col- ling's Golden Pippin— W. A. Warner 465 Flora, calf of imp. Beauty— H. Clay 410 Lily, white, calved 1834 ; bred by L. Severs, sired by Count (3506)— T. Calmes .;. .....:. 390 Britannia, roan, calved February, 1838; bred by Mr. Crof- ton, sired by Emperor (1974), and heifer calf Dido— II. T. Duncan 375 Isabella, white, calved Oct. 14, 1839; bred by T. Crofton, sired by Melmoth (2291)— R. Fisher, Boyle County. ..... 355 *Lady Elizabeth was an exceedingly well-bred cow and proved the ancestress of one of the best families of Short-horns ever bred in the West- ern States. The branch known as the Nelly Blys, In the hands of Mr. J. H. Spears of Illinois and others, acquired national reputation for their uniform high excellence. DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS. l Jessica, roan, calved Feb. 22, 1839; bought of Mr. Maynard, sired by Velocipede (5552) out of imp. Beauty by Belve- dere— Joel Higgins „ 330 Maria, heifer calf from imp. Elizabeth— J. B. Ford 810 Miss Hopper, roan, calved 1835; bred by T. Crofton, sired by Duke (1935)— W. T. Calmes 270 BULLS. Eclipse (9069), calved April 26, 1837; bred by Mr. Arrow- smith ; sired by Velocipede (5552)— R. Fisher $1,050 Carcase (3285), red-and-white, calved July, 1837; bred by S. Wiley; sired by Belshazzar (1704) — Benjamin Gratz, Lexington 725 Nelson 741, white, calved Dec. 4, 1839; bred by Mr. Whita- ker; sired by Sir Thomas Fairfax (5196)— P. Todhuntcr 610 JEolus 200, roan, calved April, 1836; bred by Mr. Rowland- son, sired by Harlsey (2091)— R. Fisher 610 Prince Albert 2065, roan, calved May 25, 1840 ; bred by J. E. Maynard ; sired by Carcase (3285) out of imp. Victoria by Plenipo — J. Flournoy 350 Bruce 289, bull calf from imp. Avarilda— M. Williams 315 Milton 713, calf o2 imp. Miss Maynard— James Gaines ?S5 19 females sold for $12,210; an average of $642.60 7 bulls sold for 3,945 ; an average of „ . 563. 55 26 animals sold for 16,155 ; an average of 621.35 From the above it appears that Fayette County buyers took eight head, Bourbon, Scott and Mercer Counties five each and Jessamine County four. In view of the fact that this sale was made during a period of declining values the prices obtained were excellent and dem- onstrated the pluck of the Kentucky breeders of that day. Importations into Tennessee. — The great interest manifested in Short-horn breeding in Kentucky extended at an early date into the neighboring State of Tennessee, and a few cat- tle were imported into that State prior to 1840. 220 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Unfortunately no exact data exist in reference .to these selections. It is known that in 1837 Messrs. Gordon & Bradford of Nashville im- ported the cow Hibernia, recorded in Vol. XXIV of the American Herd Book. She was white with red markings, said to have been bred in Ireland, and was sold soon after im- portation to the Shakers of South Union, Ky. About the same date Mr. Harvey Hill of New Orleans imported and sent to his farm in Ten- nessee the roan heifers Gentle, by Cupid (7941). Lady Littleton (white), by Ranunculus (2479), and Mild Spring, that were sold to Mark R. Cockrill of Nashville. Messrs. Shelby & Wil- liams of Nashville imported the heifers Agnes and Buttercup (the former calved in 1835 and the latter in 1836) and the bulls Champion and Cassius. These latter were without pedigrees so far as the records show. Mr. B. Letton imported in 1840 into Ten- nessee the young cows Beauty, Spot and Cow- slip. Beauty calved the white Aqua, and Spot the red-and-white Neptune at sea. An un- named roan and a red-and-white heifer were included in this same shipment. All were without herd-book record. Some five years previous a Mr. Murdock'had imported the red- and-white Bella, by Silkworm (5129), and cow Rebecca — bred by Sir John Kennedy — together with the bulls Murdock and Silkworm — both DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS. 221 roans. Bella was pedigreed and passed into the possession of M. R. Cockrill. t William Neff 's importation. — In June, 1838, William Neff, a public-spirited and wealthy business man residing in Cincinnati, imported into Ohio the roan cows Blossom, by Belshaz- zar (1704); Catherine, by Eastthorpe (1947); Strawberry (of Booth blood), by Ambo (1636); and bulls Prince William 1390, Cincinnatus and Clifford — the former roan and the latter white. To this list, as given by Mr. Warfield, Judge Jones adds the roan heifer Lady Anne, by Mag- num Bonum (2243), and states that she was a great dairy cow, giving thirty-two quarts of milk per day for two months in succession. The Judge also states that Mr. Neff imported the roan bull Berryman (3143), but Mr. War- field is authority for the statement that Lady Anne and Berryman were imported by Mr. Jo- siah Lawrence of Cincinnati, and in addition states that Lawrence also imported in 1838 the heifers Juno, Fortuna, Adelaide, Empress and Verbena. Wait and other importations, — In 1839 Sam- uel Wait imported, via New Orleans, Duchess, by Studley Royal (5342); Rosebud, bred by John Booth of Killerby, sired by Harlsey (2091); Lily of the Tees, by Belvedere 2d (3126); Pretender (4756), bred by Lord Feversham; Velocipede 11098, Cleveland (3405) and Liverpool. Mr. 222 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Warfield states that these cattle were sold to Messrs. Shirley & Birch of Louisville, Ky. In 1840 Mr. Wait made another importation, con- sisting of the two bulls, Macadam 1814 and Anty (3021), and eight cows, Ellen Long, by Beaumont (3115); Hebe, by a son of High- flyer (2122); Victoria (or White Rose), by Matchem 4th; Pink, by Belvedere 2cl (3127); Flora, by Imperial (2151); Splendour, bred by Mr. Cattley and sired by Symmetry (2723), and Daisy, by Barnaby (1678). It is said that most of these cows were imported for Mr. S. Bradford of Tennessee. Splendour is said to have been sold to Mr. E. P. Prentice of New York in 1839. Daisy passed into the possession of the Shakers of Kentucky. Messrs. Wait & Bagg also imported about this same time the roan bull Albion (2971), bred by E. Lawson and sired by Charles (3343). The pedigrees of some of these cattle seem to have been perfect and others were not. Mr. Warfield says: " So many errors and blunders have been found in the ped- igrees of the cattle imported by S. Wait that it is deemed necessary to state that they should be examined with great care." In 1837 the bull Grosvenor (3946), tracing to a Booth foundation, was imported for Mr. Mi- chael Boyne, and the bull Sovereign 995, with heifer Strawberry, by Magnum Bonum, for Messrs. R. Jackson and John Hodgson; presum- DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS. 223 ably in connection with the Ohio Co.'s opera- tions. About 1840 Messrs. Joel Higgins and Calvin C. Morgan imported into Fayette Co., Ky., five heifers from the herd of Mr. Chrisp, as follows: Mary and Theodosia, both by Prince Eugene (2C43); Henrietta, by Bed Prince (2489); Ele- anor, by Brougham (1746), and Princess (or Anne), by Captain (3273); the first four roans and the latter red. First Bates bull for Kentucky. — Between the years 1839 and 1841 James Letton of Bour- bon Co., Ky., imported several females and two bulls, one of the latter being Locomotive (4245), bred by Mr. Bates and sired by Duke of North- umberland (1940) out of the Oxford Premium Cow. This bull was a half-brother to Duke of Wellington (3654), imported by Mr. Vail of New York. Mr.Warfield lists the Letton importation as having been made in 1 839. The Albany Cul- tivator for July, 1841 (page 120), is our authority for the statement that Locomotive arrived in New York May 20, 1841, so that we believe our statement on page 230, that Duke of Wellington was the first Oxford bull bought for Amer- ica, to be correct.* For Locomotive the sum of * It is said that Mr. Letton had seen the Bates-Oxford bull Duke of Wel- lington, bought by George Vail, land at New York, and was so favorably impressed that upon learning that Duke had a half-brother (Locomotive, that had been bought of Mr, Bates by J C. Etches of Liverpool for 100 guin- eas) he determined to buy him. This he did, and the bull (Locomotive) proved a successful prize-winner in Kentucky. 224 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. $1,225 was paid in England. He became the property of W. T. Calmes of Fayette Co., Ky., upon whose farm he died. Among the cows imported by Mr. Letton was the red-roan lanthe, by Barforth (3085), that gave rise to a numerous family. Another that had many de- scendants was Miss Severs, by Reformer (2510). CHAPTER IX. EASTERN IMPORTATIONS — 1830 TO 1850, While the farmers and stock-growers of the Ohio Valley States were making substantial progress in the improvement of their herds, as "noted in the preceding chapter, large infusions of fresh blood from England were introduced into New York and Pennsylvania. The more important importations made into these and adjacent States, contemporaneous with and following the important operations of Colonel Powel already mentioned, will now be noted. New York importations. — Mr. Wm. Jackson imported into New York between the years 1833 and 1840 the roan cows Duchess, by Ebor (996); Rose, by Skipton, and Miss Scotson. The former was sold to Messrs. Wasson & Shropshire and Rose to N. L. Lindsey of Kentucky. The latter had numerous descendants, among which were many excellent cattle, but, as her sire was not pedigreed, these shared more or less in the discredit that was cast in later years upon cattle tracing to animals having such defects in their lineage. Jackson also imported the bulls Magnet and Dimples 421, the latter being 15 (225) 226 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. taken by Mr. Brent to Bourbon Co., Ky., in 1835. Around 1834 to 1836 Thomas Weddle im- ported about fifteen head of Short-horns, most of which were females. Some of these were pedigreed and some were not. Among the ped- igreed cows were Daisy and Crocus, both by Romulus (2563); Primrose, by Pioneer (1321), and Buttercup, by Sir Walter (1459). Primrose was bought at Mr. Weddle's sale of 1838 by Gen. James Dudley of Fayette Co., Ky. The roan bull Charles (1816), bred by the Earl of Carlisle and sired by Rockingham (2550) of the Weddle importation, was taken to Kentucky the same year by Gen. Dudley. Allen states that Mr. Weddle was an Englishman, who had emigrated from Yorkshire into Western New York and brought these cattle with him. He states that they were all well-bred Short-horns, chiefly from the well-known herd of Major Bower. In 1835 Samuel Allen is said to have imported into New York the roan cow Rachel of Mr. Whitaker's breeding on the same ship that brought out one of the Ohio Co.'s iu2f>O, Nations. Although her pedigree was misLaic! she was guaranteed a purely-bred S.\ert-horn and gave (when in full flow of milk on ^asture) twenty- eight quarts per day. Mr. Allen also ' rought out at same time the roan cow Miss Lawrence, said EASTERN IMPORTATIONS. to have been bred by Richard Booth at Stud- ley. Her pedigree was also lost, but she is said to have been a prize-winner as a dairy cow in England before being shipped, and after her arrival in America gave thirty-four quarts of rich milk per day on grass alone. She was sold in 1839 to N. 0. Baldwin of Cleveland, 0. A third cow in this same shipment was the white Miss Mellon, that became the property of Lewis F. Allen, founder of the American Herd Book. She was also an excellent milker, producing, Mr. Allen states, for weeks in succession twelve pounds of butter per week. In 1836 Messrs. Edward A. Leroy and Thomas H. Newbold of Livingston Co., New York, im- ported three heifers and the bull Windle 185. The heifers were Venus, by Magnum Bonum; Dione, by Monarch, and Netherby, by the same sire. About 1836 Peter A. Remsen of Genesee County imported the red bull Alexander 4, of Mr. Maynard's breeding, and several cows and heifers, including Adelaide, Pretty Face, La- vinia and White Rose. He bred from these for several years, and after disposing of some of them in New York removed with the re- mainder to Maryland, where they were finally dispersed. About 1838 Mr. John F. Sheaffe es- tablished a Short-horn herd at his farm and country residence In Duchess County, on the Hudson River. He started with cattle de- 228 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. scended from the early New England importa- tions. To these he added, soon after 1840, the cows Phoebe 1st, Dahlia 1st and Beauty 1st, but the pedigrees of these are imperfectly stated. He subsequently imported the roan cow Ser- aphina, by Wharf dale (1578), and the red-and- white bull Duke of Exeter 449 — the latter bred by J. Stephenson of Wolviston. This bull is said to have proved a capital sire. He is de- scribed as an animal possessing remarkable quality and subsequently passed into the pos- session of Lewis F. Allen. Mr. Sheaffe bred cattle until Aug. 29, 1850, when his herd was dispersed at public sale. Between the years 1840 and 1843 James Lenox of New York, who owned a fine country seat adjoining that of Mr. Sheaffe, imported three cows and two bulls, including Daffodil, Red Lady and Gayly, and the bulls Prince Albert 133 and King Charles 2d 84 — bred by Jonas Whitaker. The two bulls and one of the females were sired by the noted Sir Thomas Fairfax (5196). Between the years 1835 and 1841 Mr. E. P. Prentice of Albany imported eight or ten head of Short- horns, which were placed upon his villa farm near that city. He had founded his herd with stock bought from the early importations of General Van Rensselaer already mentioned. Among the females imported were several from the herd of Mr. WhitaKer, including Esterville, EASTERN IMPORTATIONS. 229 by Alfred (2987), and Moss Rose, by Harden. He maintained the herd until 1850, when it was dispersed at public sale. In 1836 Erastus Corning of Albany, in connec- tion with Mr. W. H. Sotham, who later be- came an active advocate of Herefords, made an importation consisting of seven females and three bulls. One of the cows, the roan Wilddame, by Anthony (1640), proved a very successful breeder, and left many descendants whose pedigrees may be found in the American Herd Book. She was from the stock of Mr. W. Lovell, from whose herd Mr. Corning also ob- tained the heifers Mary, Ifcbel, Cherry, Pet, Cleopatra and Venus. The bulls Columbus (5869), also from Mr. Lovell's herd, and Ashley (3045) were imported along with these heifers. About 1846 a Mr. Oliver of Westchester County imported the bull Marius 684, a roan, bred by Earl Spencer from Mason stock. He was sold to Col. L. G. Morris, who exhibited him at the New York State Fair at Buffalo in 1848, at which show he was sold to David Harrold of South Charleston, 0., in which State he did ex- cellent service for some years. Vail's purchases of Bates cattle. — Some- where about the year 1835 Mr. George Vail of Troy, New York, became enamored of Short- horn breeding and established a herd at his country seat near that city. Between the years A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. 1839 and 1844 he imported, in connection with Mr. S. P. Chapman, about fifteen head of cat- tle. In 1840 he bought from Thomas Bates, through Mr. Etches of Liverpool, the roan bull calf Duke of Wellington (3654), that was sired by the Duchess bull Short Tail (2621) and had for dam the noted Oxford Premium Cow, win- ner at the first show ever held by the Royal Agricultural Society of England. This purchase constituted the earliest importation of the Duchess and Oxford blood into this country.* Mr. Vail also bought from Mr. Bates a cow called Duchess, although not belonging to the family of that name. She was a white daugh- ter of Duke of Northumberland (1940) out of Nonesuch 2d by Belvedere (1706). This cow produced the two bulls Meteor 104 and Sym- metry 166, both by Duke of Wellington, but died without leaving female progeny. Mr. Vail showed a marked partiality for Bates blood and subsequently imported the red heifer Lady Bar- rington 3d, bred by Mr. Bates from Cleveland Lad (3407) out of Lady Barrington 2d by Bel- vedere (1706). From Messrs. Thomas and Rob- ert Bell, tenants of Mr. Bates, he obtained the * It may be of some interest to state that from an entry in the Kirklev- ingrton accounts, bearing- date of June 3, 1840, it appears that Mr. Vail paid for Duke of Wellington and Duchess the sum of £200. It appears from a letter written by Mr. Bates to Mr. Vail in 184:5 that 100 guineas each was be- ing asked for such cattle as Bates was willing1 to spare. In this same letter Bates adds. " The tribes of really g-ood Short-horns are very few. I have tried myself above two hundred varieties. Out of these I have but six tribes which I do not mean to part with." EASTERN IMPORTATIONS. 231 roan Hilpa, by Cleveland Lad (3407); the roan Yarm Lass, by 4th Duke of York (10167); the red-and-white Cecilia, by 3d Duke of Northum- berland; the roan Agate, by 3d Duke of York (10166), running .on the dam's side to Acomb by Belvedere; the red-and-white Arabella, also an Acomb, sired by 4th Duke of Northumber- land (3649); the roan Frantic, by 4th Duke of York (10167); Boukie (red-roan), by 4th Duke of York, tracing on dam's side to Craggs, a cow obtained by Messrs. Bell from Mr. Bates; and the roan bull Earl Derby 456, by 5th Duke of York (10168) out of Lady Harrington- '4th. Prior to Mr. VaiFs purchases of Bates-bred Short-horns about the only specimens of Kirk- levington breeding seen in the United States, had been the few brought out during the course of the Ohio Co.'s importations. Mr. Vail was an enthusiast in Short-horn breeding and ex- hibited with success at the York State shows of that period.* He made an effort to be present 'Writing- to Mr. Bates in 1847 Mr. Vail said: "I sent my bull Meteor to the show for exhibition only at the request of some friends, as he had taken the first premium for the best Durham bull in 1844, as well as the first prize for bull of any breed. The bull Marius, bred by Earl Spencer, justly took first premium in Durham bulls. The judges in their report on these said: •The justly celebrated bull Meteor, belonging to Mr. George Vail, was on the ground for exhibition only, being excluded from competing at present. We think he stands unrivaled.' * * * I suppose there were 30,000 or 40,000 persons present, among them many of the first men in the country and two ex-Presidents of the United States. * * * . Mr. A. B. Allen of New York, whom you know, is continually urging me to get a young Duchess bull from you. I would much like one, but at present dare not venture the e?> peiise. * * * Meteor is in some respects a finer animal than Wellington. He is better in the hind quarters and across the hips. Wellington has rot 232 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. at the closing-out sale of the Bates herd in Eng- land, but the event occurred at an earlier date than he had anticipated, so that he did not ar- rive until the sale was over. He had mean- time bought the herd of Mr. Prentice, but soon afterward gave up breeding; his herd being sold in October, 1852. Whitaker's shipments to America. — Un- doubtedly the most active man in England in connection with shipments to America during the period from 1820 to 1840 was Jonas Whit- aker. He had not only sold quite a number of cattle to the early New York and Massachusetts importers as already detailed, but had supplied Col. Powel of Philadelphia with many first-class cattle. He had also been largely instrumental in the selection of the importations made by the Ohio Co. and its individual members. Im- pelled by the high prices made at the Ohio Co.'s sales Mr. Whitaker determined to try the ex- periment of exporting Short-horns to America to be offered for sale on his own account. The first shipment was made in August, 1837, the cattle being placed upon the farm of Col. Powel. This lot consisted of fifteen bulls and nineteen cows and heifers. Whitaker was always a good a broad hip and is rather thin across the twist. His fore end cannct be beat. He is a superior handler, as is also Meteor. The latter weig-hs 2,200 IDS. and Wellington will weigh nearly 1,900 Ibs. Meteor would take high rank even in your country. * * * Our county show took place last week and was the best we have had. I was equally successful in winning1 pre- miums here as at the State show. Hilpa took the first prize," EASTERN IMPORTATIONS. 233 "keeper," and these animals were forwarded in good condition ; and as they were well bred and their coming had been widely advertised they attracted much attention, and when offered at auction drew the presence of a great attend- ance not only from the States of New York and Pennsylvania but from the then distant cattle- breeding districts of Ohio and Kentucky. The sale occurred at Powelton in September, 1837, the bulls averaging $353, the cows $480,- and the total sales aggregating $14,215. Among those sold upon this occasion were the follow- ing: Clarksville, by Lottery (2227), a roan two-year-old heifer, bought by Mr. Neff for $630 and subsequently sold to John tladley of Clinton Co., O., in which State she gave rise to a considerable family. Young Isabella, a red-and-white cow, bred by Richard Booth, sired by Memnon (2295) out of the celebrated Isabella by Pilot. She was bought by C. J. Wolbert of Philadelphia for 1405. Profitable, roan, two-year-old heifer, sired by Young Ebor (3682), sold to Mr. Neff of Cincinnati for 1550. Ruth, red-and-white six-year-old, bred by Richard Booth and belonging to the old Killerby Moss Rose family, also sold to Mr. Neff at $460. Beauty,* red-and-white four-year-old, bred by Mr. Tempest, sired by De Veaux (1916), running through Bertram (1716) and Frederick (1060) to Ceiling's old Bright Eyes sort. This cow was likewise purchased by Mr. Neff at $540. *From imp. Beauty was descended the great family of show and breed- ing-cattle known as " Profitables," afterward famous in Ohio in the hands of the late David Selsor, from whose herd many splendid individual Short- horns of that tribe were sold throughout various Western States. There was at one time an effort made to discredit this family on account of alleged inability to trace the lineage direct to imp. Beauty. The breeding was, however, certified to by Mr. J. J. Jones, who boxight the cow Profitable 2d from Mr. Neff. See reference to this in Breeder's Gazette, Sept. 14, 1882. 234 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE, Lucilla, roan four-year-old, by Edmund (1954) , also bought by Mr. Neff and resold to Benjamin Scott of Kentucky. Brutus 31, roan yearling bull, bred by Whitaker, bought by Mr. Neff for $330. Bruce (3233) , red yearling bull, bred by Whitaker, bought by Mr. Rotch of New York for $360. Miser (2323) , white yearling bull, bred by Whitaker, bought by Mr. Cunningham for $470. While these prices were not altogether sat- isfactory to Mr. Whitaker he sent out another considerable shipment in 1838 or 1839 that were also- sold near Philadelphia. In this lot were twenty-two cows and heifers and six bulls. They were sold at sales held in the years 1838 and 1839, but accurate records as to what be- came of many of the cattle have not been pre- served. There are in fact few descendants of the females included in these last shipments on record in this country. One exception to this may be noted, however, in the case of the roan Victoria, by Luck's All (2230), of Mr. Cattley's breeding, that was bought at the sale by Mr. George Brinton for $520. This was about the highest price made at the last sales, values rang- ing sharply downward from about that figure. The depression which was at this date begin- ning to settle down upon American industries militated against success in these operations of Mr. Whitaker and he made no further ship- ments. Introduction of Princess blood. — Mr. VaiPs importations had the effect of drawing public EASTERN IMPORTATIONS. 235 attention to the herd of Mr. Bates, and in the year 1849 Mr. Ambrose Stevens of Batavia, N. Y., went to England with a letter of intro- duction to Bates from Vail and- purchased for importation the roan bull 3d Duke of Cam- bridge (5941), then eight years old, sired by the Duke of Northumberland (1940) out of Water- loo 2d by Belvedere. This bull represented a union of the Duchess, Princess and Waterloo tribes, and after his arrival in America an in- terest in him was sold to Col. J. M. Sherwood of Auburn, N. Y. Along with the Duke Mr. Stevens brought out from the herd of Mr. Ste- phenson of Wolviston the roan yearling heifers Princess 2d, by General Sale (8099), and Prin- cess 3d, by Napier (6238), together with Red Rose 2d, a red four-year-old cow by Napier. These were the first representatives of the tribe of Belvedere to be transferred to American soil. Red Rose 2d was sold to Col. Sherwood. She was a capital dairy cow, and it is recorded that "she made forty-nine pounds of butter in twenty-five consecutive days in May and June, 1851, when four years old with her second calf." Mr. Stevens brought out in 1849, as a calf, the Princess bull Lord Vano Tempest (10469) and sold him to Col. Sherwood. In 1850 Messrs. Stevens and Sherwood im- ported the two-year-old Princess bull Earl of Seaham (10181), of Stephenson's breeding, that 236 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. was afterward sold to Rev. John A. Gano, Ken- tucky. The Earl also proved a successful stock- getter. Along with him were imported the cows Princess 4th, by Napier; Waterloo 5th and Wild Eyes 5th, both of Bates blood, but they died without issue. The red Princess bull Wolvis- ton 1109 was also included in this shipment, and was sold after importation to William Ash- ton of Gait, Can. In 1851 Messrs. Stevens and Sherwood imported the Princess bull calf Earl Vane (14483) and the five-year-old cow Princess 1st, by Napier. The following year the roan Princess heifer Lady Sale 2d, by Earl of Chat- ham (10176), and the roan four-year-old Prin- cess cow Tuberose 2d, by Earl of Antrim (10174), were brought out. Red Rose 2cl, Tube- rose 2d and Lady Sale 2d became the matrons of the Princess tribe in America, and in later years their descendants commanded enormous prices as a result of the great appreciation in values of Bates-bred Short-horns. This w;as of course due to the fact of the great success met with by Mr. Bates in the use of Belvedere. Miscellaneous importations. — In 1835 Mr. Harmer Denny of Pittsburg imported the red- and-white yearling bull Young Buckingham (1758), a roan two-year-old heifer and her sire, a bull called Architect; the two latter not being fully pedigreed. These were selected in Eng- land by Rev. John A. Robertson. During the EASTERN IMPORTATIONS. 237 same year R. D. Shepherd of Baltimore, Md., imported nine females and six bulls, some of which were without pedigrees. Several of the cows, Including Lucrece, Haidie and Diana, were sold to Hon. Henry Clay and taken to Ken- tucky. In 1837 or 1838 William Gibbons of Madison, N. J., imported the roan bull Majestic (2249), bred by Mr. Crofton, the roan Arthur (3040) and the white cow Volage; both of the latter bred by Whitaker. In 1838 Dr. John A. Poole of Brunswick, N. J., imported the white yearling bull Bernard 19, descended from Mag- dalena, by Comet, and the cows Maria, Fanny and Barmpton Cow. In 1839 Joseph Cope of Pennsylvania bought at Kirklevington the roan bull Yorkshireman (5700), bred by Bates and be- longing to his Blanche tribe; paying for him something over £100. In 1839 Daniel Holman imported the red-and- white three-year-old cow Jane, bred by G. L. Ridley and sired by Young Magog (2247). We should also note the ship- ment of the roan cow Violet, by Regent (2517), along with the bulls Young Rocket (4979) and Rubens (2573) to H. Whitney of Connecticut about 1840. Also the importation by William Whitney of Morristown, N". J., about the same date of the twin heifers Cornelia and Harriet, by Birmingham (3152), and their dam, the roan Ringlet, by Belshazzar (1704), of the Earl of Carlisle's breeding. CHAPTER X. SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY IN AMERICA. During the decade from 1840 to 1850 a pro- found depression overtook American agricultu- ral industries. The outburst of activity in live- stock improvement that had found manifesta- tion in the new West during the "thirties" in the operations of the first Ohio and Kentucky importing companies, was followed by ten or twelve years of declining values and waning interest in all things agricultural. Importa- tions ceased. Discouraged by the absence of demand for good cattle, leading breeders reluc- tantly castrated many well-bred young balls that should have been doing service in the herds of the farming community. Large num- bers of good cows and heifers were fed off for the shambles. Pedigree records were in many cases neglected. * In this way many descend- ants of the importations already noted disap- peared from view. As has been true, however, during all such trying times, certain men who knew that history never fails to repeat itself stood steadfastly by the "red, white and roans/' (238) SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 239 firm in the belief that the tide would some day turn. And so it did. Soon after 1850 the clouds that had settled over the industry during the twelve years pre- ceding began to break. The price of meats advanced under a renewed domestic demand and the opening up of foreign markets for grains and provisions. Those who had tena- ciously held their ground in cattle breeding dis- cerned signs of better days near at hand and began taking steps to recruit their herds up to the former standard. We now enter upon a most interesting period of Short-horn history; a period characterized by remarkable activity on the part of powerful interests; a period that witnessed the founding of the great herds at Woodburn and Thorndale; the organization of numerous importing companies in Kentucky, Ohio and New York, and that also marks the extension of Short-horn breeding into Indiana, Illinois and other Western States. The first "Duke" for America.— Mr. Loril- lard Spencer of New York imported in the year 1851 or 1852 the red Bates Duchess bull Duke of Athol (10150), that had been sold at the Kirk- levington sale of 1850 as a calf to Mr. Parker of Penrith for forty guineas. Along with him came the young bull Augustus (11125) and Woldsman (11026), together with the heifers Sonsie 8th, by 2d Cleveland Lad; Faraway, by 240 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. 3d Duke of Oxford, and Jean, by Chevalier. He bred from these for a few years and pos- sessed a few other Short-horns bought from New York State breeders. He maintained the herd, however, but a short time. Morris and Becar.— Col. L. G. Morris and Noel J. Becar of New York attended the dis- persion sale of the herd of Thomas Bates in May, 1850, as repoiied on page 111, and after looking over the cattle determined to invest in the Ox- ford blood. Three cows and heifers of the fam- ily that gave Mr. Bates his Liverpool Royal Champion Cleveland Lad fell to their bidding, viz. : The roan five-year-old Oxford 5th, by Duke of Northumberland; the red-and-white year- ling Oxford 10th, by 3d Duke of York (10166), and her full sister, the roan heifer calf Oxford 13th. Col. Morris took the cow and the year- ling, and Mr. Becar the calf. Subsequently Col. Morris bought the roan cow Beauty of Brawith (of B. Wilson's breeding); the red-roan Bloom, by the Booth-bred Sir Leonard (10827), and Romelia, a roan, by Flageolet (8130). He also purchased the red-and-white Bates-bred Balco (9918),* by 4th Duke of York (10167) out of Wild Eyes 15th by 4th Duke of Northumber- land (3649), the first of that tribe to come to America; Lord of Ery holme (12205), a roan of * At a later period Balco passed into the possession of Gen. Sol Meredith of Cambridge City, Ind. SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 241 A. L. Maynard's breeding; Marquis of Carrabas (11789), a roan, bred by Fawkes of Farnley Hall, and the Bell-Bates bull Billy Pitt (9967). The roan Romeo (13619), bred by the Marquis of Exeter, was bought on joint account, and afterward proved a valuable "outcross" upon the Oxfords. Mr. Becar was a Frenchman who had emi- grated when a young man to the city of New York, where he established himself as a mer- chant, which occupation he for many years suc- cessfully pursued. He married an American wife, whose family held large possessions of land on Long Island. He imported on his indi- vidual account some sixteen head of cows and heifers between the 'years 1850 and 1854. In- cluded among these were the Bates-bred Oxford 6th, Lady Barrington 12th and Apricot. The shipment also included the Secret heifer Sur- prise and the white cow Songstress, the first of the Gwynne family (closely allied to the Prin- cesses) imported to America. This lot also in- cluded the roan cow Actress, by Harkaway (9184), that was subsequently sold to the Hon. John Wentworth of Chicago, 111. This impor- tation is notable also as having contained the first specimen of the Mason Victorias brought to this country — namely, Victoria 26th, bred by Mr. Holmes of Ireland and sired by the Booth bull Baron Warlaby (7813). Two roan heifers 16 242 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. from noted English herds were Zoe, bred by Mr. Tanqueray, and Miss Belleville, bred by Mason Hopper and sired by the "never-beaten" Belleville (6778). The former was the earliest representative of the " J" branch of the Prin- cess sort imported. The Earl Ducie sale in England.— While Messrs. Morris and Becar were making these purchases an event that was destined to exer- cise an extraordinary influence upon Short-horn breeding on both sides of the water occurred in England. This was the closing-out sale of the herd of Earl Ducie, at Tortworth, which took place Aug. 24, 1853, as a consequence of the Earl's decease. It will be remembered that at the Bates dispersion sale Ducie had bought the 4th Duke of York, Duchess 55th, Oxford 6th, Duchess 59th, Duchess 64th and Oxford llth. He bred Duchess 59th to Usurer (9763) —the Mason-bred bull for which he paid 400 guineas at the sale of the Earl Spencer cattle in 1848. The white Duchess 67th resulted, but she seemed so unpromising that Lord Ducie is said to have considered that the cross was a failure and stated that he would never again " outcross " the Duchesses and Oxfords. At the Tortworth sale Messrs. Becar and Morris were represented and secured Duchess 66th and the red three-year-old bull Duke of Gloster (11382), by Grand Duke (10284). For Duchess 66th SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 248 they were forced to pay 700 guineas — the top price of the sale. She was a roan, coming three years old, sired by 4th Duke of York (10167) out of Duchess 55th, and became the ancestress in America of the far-famed Oneida, Geneva and Thorndale branches of the Bates Duchess tribe; the sale of which, at New York Mills in 1873 proved the most sensational event in Short-horn history. This Ducie sale was also attended by Messrs. Samuel Thorne and F. M. Rotch of New York. Mr. Thorne was in quest of Short-horns for his father, Jonathan Thorne of Dutchess County, and purchased Duchess 59th, Duchess 64th and Duchess 68th. For these he gave 350 guineas, 600 guineas and 300 guineas respectively. Had it not been for the bidding of Mr. J. S. Tanque- ray and Gunter of Gloucestershire the Ameri- can buyers would have taken all of the Duch- esses. It was the competition between the Old World and the New that resulted in such high prices as compared with those made at Kirk- levington three years previous. The six head of cattle for which Earl Ducie had paid £955 10s. upon that occasion brought at Tortworth £2,052 15s. This sale, it may be said, fairly marked the beginning of what is known this side of the Atlantic as the great Bates "boom." Duchess 55th at 50 guineas, Oxford 6th at 205 guineas, Oxford llth at 250 guineas, Oxford 16th 244 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. at 180 guineas and Duchess 69th at 400 guineas were bought by Mr. Tanqueray; Mr. Gunter pur- chasing Duchess 67th, by Usurer, af 350 guineas, and Duchess 70th at 310 guineas. The Earl of Burlington bought Oxford 15th at 200 guineas, and the Earl of Feversham took 5th Duke of Oxford (12762) at 300 guineas. The 4th Duke of York (10167) was bought by Gen. Cadwalla- der and Mr. Vail of New York at 500 guineas, but did not live to reach America, his neck hav- ing been broken during a storm at sea. Thorndale and the Duchesses. — Mr. Becar having died in 1854 Col. Morris purchased his interest in the partnership herd, and after sell- ing quite a number of young bulls to various breeders in different States disposed of the en- tire holding to Mr. Samuel Thorne of Thorn- dale Farm, Duchess Co., N. Y. Mr. Thome's father, Jonathan Thorne of New York City, owned an extensive farm at Millbrook, which is still in the possession of the family. This was in 1857. In the year 1850 Mr. Thorne Sr. had sent an order to his son Edwin, who was then in England, for a Short-horn bull. A pair of cows had previously been purchased from Mr. Vail of Troy. Tho order was filled by the purchase and forwarding of the bull St. Law- rence (12037), bred by Capt. Pelham. This bull was afterward sold to Dr. E. Warfield and taken to Kentucky in the autumn of 1853. In 1852 SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 245 Mr. Thorne received on an order he had given to Robert Bell the two Bell-Bates heifers Count- ess (Craggs) and Forget-me-not 2d of Bell's Fletcher family. He also bought from Mr. Tanqueray the young cow Ellen Gwynne, bred by Mr. Troutbeck. In the spring of 1853 Mr. Samuel Thorne, in company with Mr. F. M. Rotch, sailed for Eng- land to purchase Short-horns, their intention being to buy the best that could be found with- out reference to cost. They attended the Ducie sale, at which Duchesses 59th, 64th and 68th were selected. From Mr. S. E. Bolden they se- cured the Duchess bull Grand Duke (10284), that had been purchased by Mr. Hay of Scot- land at the Kirklevington dispersion at the top price of 205 guineas,* and the roan heifer Peri, by Grand Duke. From Tortworth the red G wynne cow Mystery, by Usurer, was obtained. Col. Towneley's breeding was drawn upon for Frederica and Lalla Rookh. The red cows Au- rora and Darling (the latter an Acorn b by Grand Duke), mainly of Bates blood, completed the purchases of cattle brought out in 1853. Duch- *Mr. Bolden had bought at the Bates sale Duchess 51st, as a doubtful breeder, at sixty guineas. He bred her first to Richard Booth's Leonidas (10414), but the calf came dead. Bred to Grand Duke, Duchess oist gave Mr Bolden the celebrated Grand Duchesses 1st and 2d, the ancestresses of the family of that name. In this connection it is of interest to note that Grand Duke had not been regarded as a satisfactory sire in Mr. Hay's herd at Shethin, but there was no mistaking the outstanding excellence of such of his get at Mr. Bolden's as the Grand Duchesses. Cnerry Duchess 1st and 2d Duke of Cambridge '246 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. ess 64th was left in England until the following year, and in the meantime dropped to a service by 4th Duke of York the bull calf 2d Grand Duke (12961), which under an arrangement pre- viously entered into became the property of Mr. Bolden. This shipment of 1853 had cost Mr. Thome the snug sum of $18,000, thus making it the highest-priced lot of Short-horns im- ported to America up to that date. The vessel upon which they were shipped in October of that year had a tempestuous passage. Duchess 68th was killed outright by the falling of a mast and Peri had a hip knocked down, two ribs broken and lost one horn. She nevertheless bred successfully and gave rise to a family bear- ing her name that afterward commanded long prices. In 1854 Mr. Thorne imported nine females, including Agnes, Cypress, Cherry and Constan- tia— all by B. Wilson's Lord of Brawith (10465) —Lady Millicent (from Fawkes), by Laudable; Diana Gwynne, Dinah Gwynne and (from Tan- queray's) the Bates Barrington heifer Lady of Athol. In the fall of 1855 the bull 2d Grand Duke (12961), above mentioned, was bought from Bolden for $5,000 to succeed Grand Duke (10284). An accident had rendered the latter practically useless, bat he was not slaughtered until 1857. With 2d Grand Duke was shipped in 1855 the Killerby-bred Booth bull Neptune SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 247 (11847), by Water King (11024) out of Bloom by Buckingham; second dam the celebrated Hawthorne Blossom. At the sale of Sir Chas. Knightley in 1856 Mr. Thorne bought the cows Blouzelind and Mrs. Flathers, both by Earl of Dublin, and Elgitha, by Balco. This gave him a dip into the most noted dairy strain of the day in England. From Col. Towneley he bought the two heifers Miss Buttercup, by the cele- brated Master Butterfly (13311), and Buttercup 2d, by Horatio (10335). These five cattle cost over $5,000. From other sources he obtained Darlington 6th, Maria Louisa and Dewdrop. In 1857 the entire Morris & Becar herd, con- sisting at that date of fifty-three head, was pur- chased for $35,000. This gave Thorndale a vir- tual monopoly of the Duchess and Oxford blood in America and an investment in Short-horns mounting well up toward $100,000. Opera- tions of such magnitude did not fail to create more or less of a sensation in cattle-breeding circles on both sides the Atlantic. During this same year Mr. Edwin Thorne, then in England, bought and sent out to his brother Samuel the bull Grand Turk (12969), bred by Bolden, rep- resenting a cross of Grand Duke (10284) on the Booth cow Young Rachel by Leonard (4210). It thus appears that Thorndale drew upon the most noted strains of the breed, besides impart- ing an impetus to the trade in England and 248 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. America that permeated the entire industry and influenced in marked degree the work of leading breeders at home and abroad for many succeeding years. Revival of interest in the West.— It was a trying ordeal the business passed through in Ohio and Kentucky during the "forties." Lit- tle more than butchers' prices could be real- ized. At the time the George and Jonathan Renick herds were offered (1844-1846) not more than $130 could be obtained for the best. The value of the blood had been fully demonstrated, but farmers generally were financially unable to avail themselves of it save at extremely low prices. The large landed proprietors, however, maintained their herds and manifested their interest by exhibiting stock at the various local fairs.* By 1850 times had brightened, and the Ohio State Agricultural Society held its initial show near Cincinnati, Harness Renick winning * In a report of the Ross County Fair for 1849, in the Ohio Cultivator, it is said that " the Durham Short-horns were exhibited in all their sleekness and beauty. These are, very justly, the pride of the principal farmers and herdsmen of the Scioto Valley. We have never seen better animals of this class than were exhibited on this occasion from the herds of Geo. Renick, Dr. A. Watts, J R. Anderson, Alexander Renick, etc. As a whole it ex- celled in quality the show of this breed at either of the New York fairs." The report gives the weights of several Short-horn bullocks on exhibi- tion; among1 them a steer of Dr. Watts, three years old in April, weighed, Oct. 5, 2,200 Ibs. ; pne, two years in February, weighed, Oct. 5, 1,730 Ibs. From the herd of George Renick a bulloek of "great perfection of form," five years, weighed 2,800 Ibs. Six others, only three years, weighed 1,850, 1,750, 1,720, 1,680, 1,670 and 1.664 Ibs. These cattle had not been forced as is the modern practice, having only good grass in summer. — Hon. T C> Jones, in Breeder's Gazette, Oct. 5, 1882. SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 249 first prize on Sterling 1004 — tracing to imp. Blossom by Fitz-Favorite — in aged-bull class, and Mr. Poage first on Lilac — a descendant of imp. Duchess of Liverpool — in aged cows. The modern system of training for show had not at that date come into vogue. It should be mentioned before proceeding further that shortly after the settlement of Walter Dun's estate, in Kentucky, his sons John G., James, Walter A. and Robert G. located upon their father's extensive estates in Madison Co., 0., taking with them a lot of good Short-horns descended from their father's importation al- ready mentioned. The bull Comet (1854) was used by the Messrs. Dun in Ohio as late as 1845 and was an excellent getter. With the return of better times the Ohio breeders manifested renewed interest in their herds. In 1852 trade had revived to such an extent that it was determined to make a fresh importation from England. Eighteen years had elapsed since the first purchase by the old Ohio Co., and breeders were anxious to ascer- tain as to what progress had been made in the improvement of the breed in England during that period. The project took definite form by the organization of the Scioto Valley Importing Co. — The veteran Dr. Arthur Watts a*id Mr. George W. Renick, son of Felix Renick, were appointed agents, and 250 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. the result of their journey was the purchase and importation of ten bulls and seven females that were sold at auction at the farm of Dr. Watts, near Chillicothe. Stockholders had the privilege of bidding and took most of the cat- tle at high prices. The sale list, with some particulars, follows:" BULLS. Nobleman (13392), roan two-year-old, bred by J. Wood; a bull of marked excellence— Hon. John I. Vanmeter, Pike County 12,510 Count Fathom (11316) , roan yearling, bred by F. H. Fawkes ; got by Lord Marquis (10459) ; proved a very successful sire— N. Perrill, Clinton County 2,075 Master Belleville (11795) , roan two-year-old, bred by J. M. Hopper ; sired by the show bull Belleville (6778) and de- scribed as " a grand, rangy bull and the sire of a large number of fine Short-horns, including Billy Harrison 263, the prize bull Master Miller, etc." — Messrs. Renick and Maypool 2,005 Lord Nelson 664, red-roan two-year-old, bred by R. Thorn- ton—John L. Meyers, Fayette County 1,825 Gamboy (11503) , red-and-white, bred by F. H. Fawkes ; trac- ing to the Booth cow Isabella by Pilot— M. L. Sullivant, Columbus 1,400 Rising Sun 5130, roan bull calf, bred by Mr. Wetherell— Isaac Cunningham, Scioto County 1,300 Alderman (9882), roan three-year-old, bred by R. C. Lown- des; afterward became the property of Jacob Pierce and used for some years in his fine herd — Hon. Alex. Waddle, Clark County 1,150 Isaac 589, roan two-year-old, bred by R. Thornton ; a low, compact bull of fine quality, a good feeder and capital sire ; second-prize bull at the Ohio State Fair, 1854 — Messrs. Gregg and J. O'B. Renick, Pickaway County. . . 600 Young Whittington 1165, roan yearling; afterward owned by Messrs. Brown of Sangamon Co., 111.— Arthur Watts, Chillicothe . . 450 SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 251 COWS AND HEIFERS. Mary, roan two-year-old, bred by J. Emerson ; by Lord of the Manor (10466)— Hon. A. Waddle $1,650 Sunrise, red, by Twilight (9758)— Hon. John I. Vanmeter, Pike County 1,230 Blue Bonnet, roan two-year-old, by Earl of Antrim (10174) ; a large, stylish cow of superior quality and a great milker ; dam of prize bulls Master Miller 693, Winfield 1107 and a valuable progeny of females — P. W. Renick, Pickaway County 1,225 Moss Rose, roan six-year-old, bred by J. W. Parrington; sired by. Ravens worth (9487) ; afterward became the property of Jacob Pierce, in whose hands she dropped the show cow Mattie by Nobleman (13392)— Hon. Alex. Waddle, Clark County 1,200 Raspberry, roan two-year-old, sired by Banker (11136) ; a fine cow that in the hands of Messrs. Gregg and J. O'B. Renick was champion female at the Ohio State Fair, at Newark, in 1854, afterward becoming the property of James M. Trimble, in whose hands she produced, among other good things, the cow Maggie Trimble, dam of Air- drie 2d 11267, used in the prize herd of J. R. Anderson, Ross County— George W. Gregg, Pickaway County 1,110 Strawberry, roan cow, bred by R. Thornton ; sired by Post Master (9487)— George W. Renick, Ross County 1,000 Enchantress, roan two-year-old, bred by Mr. Thornton; grew into a cow of superior quality and produced the fine bull Noble 753— Harness Renick, Pickaway County. 900 9 bulls* sold for $13,315 ; an average of $1,479.45 7 females sold for 8,315 ; an average of 1,187.85 16 animals sold for 21,630; an average of 1,351.85 The prices which the stockholders were wil- ling to pay for these cattle inspired fresh con- fidence on both sides of the river, and in the following year several other importing compa- nies were organized. * The red-roan bull Adam (12338), bred by J. Clark, of this Importation was out of condition and not sold. He became the property of M. L. Sulll- vant and was noted for his wonderful coat of hair. Mr. Harness Beriick's prize heifer Agatha, of the Blossom tribe, was one of his get. 252 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Madison Co. (0.) Co.— In 1853 the Madison Co. (0.) Importing Co. was formed. Messrs. Charles Phellis, B. B. Browning and Mr. Farrar were appointed agents and selected from the English herds fjfteen bulls and nine cows, which, after the usual plan of these companies, were sold at auction. The event occurred Sept. 27 at London, Madison County, the result, to- gether with a few notes upon the more noted animals, being as indicated below. From this it will appear that prices now mounted to a still higher range than had yet been attained: Starlight (12146), roan two-year-old, bred by R. Lawson; sired by Lansdowne (9277), dam Beauty by Mussulman (4524) . This bull was kept upon the farm of James Ful- lington, in Union County, for many years and was one of the best sires ever used in the State. Though a first- prize bull at the State Fair of 1854, Starlight was not a first-class show bull. His strong, masculine front, with broad and massive brisket, were quite imposing, and the length of his fore ribs gave a chest of unusual capacity. He had a good back and loin, but his quarters were a little short. He was a bull of unusual vigor of constitu- tion and required to be carefully handled. Among his get that acquired distinction in show-yards were the champion bulls Starlight 2d 2559, Buckeye Starlight 3718 and General Grant 4825— Charles' Phellis, Madi- son County $3,000 Marquis (11787), roan two-year-old, bred by R.Thornton; sired by Whittington (12299); a fine, compactly-fash- ioned bull of extra quality, extensively used on the fine herds then owned in the region known locally as the "Darby Plains"— James Fullington (Union County) and others 3,000 Sheffielder (13693), roan two-year-old, bred by Mr. Hall; sired by His Grace (10323)— J. W. Robinson, Madison County 1,800 SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 253 Mario (11779), roan two-year-old, bred by J. S. Tanqueray; sired by Horatio (10335) out of the Gwynne cow Melody by Sir Thomas Fairfax ; a fine, large bull, with wonder- full depth of chest and of a remarkably quiet disposi- tion ; his get were uniformly good ; afterward property of David Watson— Robert Reed, Madison County 1,550 Colonel (12614), red-and- white roan yearling, bred by R. Lawson; proved a good breeder; gained first prize as bull with five of his get at Ohio State Fair, 1860; prog- eny frequently shown with success — Messrs. Dun 1,350 Farmer Boy (11464), roan two-year-old, bred by R. Thorn- ton— Joseph Reyburn, Madison County 925 Thornberry (12222), white two-year-old, bred by Richard Booth, Warlaby ; sired by Hopewell (10332), dam Haw- thorne Blossom by Leonard; sold in bad condition; "off" on his feet and thin in flesh; low and level, with wonderful spring of rib, splendid quarters and real War- laby chest and shoulders ; one of the best feeders ever known in the Scioto Valley ; imparted his rare feeding qualities with great uniformity to his get — Messrs. Har- ness and Felix W. Renick, Picka way County 875 Beau Clerc (11160), roan two-year-old, bred by F. H. Fawkes — D. M. Oeightou, Madison County 750 Symmetry (12167) , roan two-year-old, bred by J. Knowles, sired by Phosphorus 9477 — Messrs. Dun, Madison County 1,150 Sportsman, roan bull calf— James Foster, Madison County. . 700 Duke of Liverpool, roan bull calf — George G. McDonald, Madison County 555 Splendor 997j^", roan yearling — F. A. Yocum, Madison County. 500 Prince Edward 864, roan yearling— M. B. Wright, Fayette County 475 Rocket 921>£, white yearling— David Watson, Union County. 425 Prince Albert 3284, roan yearling— J. F. Chenoweth, Madison County 300 COWS AND HEIFERS. Stapleton Lass, red-and-white roan three-year-old, bred by R. Thornton, sired by Sailor (9592) ; afterward property of James Fullington, in whose hands she proved a capital breeder and great milker ; she was dam of David Wat- son s Fancy, that produced the great champion show cow Jessie, by Starlight 2d ; she was also dam of the prize bull Buckeye Starlight 3718— Jesse Watson, Madison County f 1,350 254 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Picotee, roan six-year-old ; sired by Robin Hood (8492) — Jesse Watson, Madison County 1,275 Miss Hilton, roan two-year-old, bred by T. Raine — David Watson 875 Princess, roan three-year-old, bred by W. Raine— William Watson, Clark County 690 Blossom, roan yearling, bred by R. Thornton— David Wat- son 650 Victoria, roan three-year-old, bred by W. Raine ; afterward property of James Fullington— J. Q. Winchell, Madison County 600 Alexandrina, white yearling, bred by T. Raine — David Wat- son -. . . 560 Yorkshire Dairy Cow (not pedigreed) — Joseph Negley, Clark County 425 Monsoon (not pedigreed) , dam Yorkshire Dairy Cow— Jos. Reyburn, Madison County 295 15 bulls sold for $17,355 ; an average of $1,157 9 females sold for 6,720 ; an average of 747 24 animals sold for 24,075 ; an average of . . , 1,003 Northern Kentucky Association. — In 1853 an association of Kentucky breeders under this title commissioned Messrs. Solomon Vanmeter, Nelson Dudley and Charles T. Garrard to pro- ceed to England for the purchase of cattle. Fifteen cows and ten bulls were selected and imported in July of that year, which were sold at auction soon after their arrival at the farm of B. J. Clay, in Bourbon County, at the extra- ordinary prices noted below: BULLS. Diamond (11357), roan three-year-old, bred by Earl Fever- sham— B. J. Clay, H. Clay Jr., George M. Bedford and J. Duncan, Bourbon County $6,000 Challenger (14252) , roan yearling, bred by Earl Ducie ; sired by 4th Duke of York (10167) ; dam Chaplet by Usurer (9763) , running to Magdalena by Comet — Isaac and Solo- mon Vanmeter and T. L. Cunningham, Clark County. . . 4,850 SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 255 Orontes 2d (11877) , red two-year-old, bred by Earl of Bur- lington; out of imp. Goodness, of Mason blood — R. A. Alexander, Woodf ord County 4,550 Young Chilton (11278), white three-year-old, bred by J. Em- erson; sired by Chilton (10054)— Dr. R. J. Breckenridge and Messrs. B. & W. Warfield, Fayette County 3,005 Fortunatus 1564, roan bull calf, bred by F. H. Fawkes ; sired by Lord Marquis (10459) ; dam Fairy Tale by Sir Thos. Fairfax— Messrs. Vanmeter, Fayette County 2,500 The Count (12191), roan two-year-old, bred by H. Ambler; sired by 3d Duke of York (9047)— S. Goff, Clark County. 2,500 Senator 2d (13687) , white yearling, bred by H. Ambler ; sired by Senator (8548) ; dam Fair Frances by Sir Thomas Fairfax (5196) —Allen & Curd, Fayette County 2,000 Belleville 3d (14150), roan yearling, bred by Mason Hopper; sired by Belleville (6778)— G. W. Sutton, Fayette County 1,500 Fusileer (11499) , roan two-year-old, bred by T. Bell ; sired by Grand Duke (10284)— R. W. Scott, Franklin County. . 1,400 Yorkshire Maynard (14043), roan yearling, bred by A. L. Maynard; sired by Lord George (10443)— Robert S. Tay- lor; Clark County 1,000 COWS AND HEIFERS. Mazurka, red-roan yearling, bred by W. Smith, sired by the Booth ball Harbinger (10297) , in calf to Orontes 2d— R. A. Alexander, Woodford County $3,050 Maid of Melrose, roan yearling, bred by F. H. Fawkes, sired by Lord Marquis (10459)— R. A. Alexander 2,200 Goodness, red, calved in 1847 ; bred by Mr. Hall, legatee of Earl Spencer; sired by Orontes (4623)— G. W. Sutton. . . 2,025 Lady Caroline, roan two-year-old, bred by Mr. Spearman, sired by Newtonian (14991)— B. J. Clay, Bourbon County 1,825 Lady Stanhope, roan, calved in 1847, bred by A. L. Maynard, sired by Earl Stanhope (5966)— B. J. Clay, Bourbon County 1,500 Lady Fairy, red, calved in 1848, bred by F. H. Fawkes, sired by Laudable (9282) out of Fairy Tale, the dam of imp. Fortunatus— Dr. Breckinridge and B. & W. Warfleld, Fayette County 1,100 Orphan Nell, roan yearling, bred by J. S. Tanqueray, sired by Ruby (10760) ; dam of the Gwynne family— J. A. Gano, Bourbon County 1,000 Equity, red yearling, bred by John Booth, sired by Lord George (10439)— R. A. Alexander, Woodford County 1,000 256 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Roan Duchess, roan three-year-old, bred by Mr. Wetherell, sired by Whittington (13299)— W. H. Brand, Fayette County 900 Duchess of Sutherland, red two-year-old, bred by H. Ambler, sired by Captain Edwards (8929)— W. H. Brand 900 Gem, roan two- year-old, bred by H. Ambler, sired by Broker (9993) ; dam the Booth cow Gulnare (bred by Mr. Fawkes) by Norfolk (2377)— S. Vanmeter and T. L. Cun- ningham 825 Flattery, white yearling, bred by Earl Ducie, sired by 4th Duke of York (10167)— W. R. Duncan, Clark County .... 815 Necklace, roan yearling, bred by Col. Towneley, sired by Duke of Athol (10150) —Henry Clay Jr. , Bourbon County 805 Bracelet, roan twin-sister to Necklace above— M. M. Clay, Bourbon County 750 Muffin, roan yearling, bred by Earl Ducie, sired by Usurer (9763)— W. A. Smith, Scott County 535 10 bulls sold for $29,305 ; an average of $2,930.50 15 females sold for 19,230 ; an average of 1,282.00 25 animals sold for 48,535 ; an average of 1,941.40 The ten bulls cost in England about $5,570 and fetched nearly $30,000. The females cost about $5,920 on the other side and brought nearly $20,000. The cattle were well chosen, fell for the most part into good hands and were important factors in subsequent Ken- tucky Short-horn history. The high-priced bull Diamond proved impotent. Young Chil- ton, Challenger and Orontes 2d were, in the order named, remarkable stock-getters. It is worthy of note in this connection that Young Chilton's sire, Chilton (10054), was a white bull got by the "never-beaten" show bull Belleville (6778) out of one of that bulFs own daughters. Belleville (see foot-note page 107) was the bull SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 257 that Mr. Bates so persistently decried. As one of the best sires ever used in Kentucky carried a double cross of the Belleville blood, the infal- libility of Mr. Bates' judgment is not in this case apparent. In point of individual merit Young Chilton also headed this remarkable list of bulls, Orontes 2d standing second and Chal- lenger third. As a sire, however, the latter, in the hands of Messrs. Vanmeter, surpassed the work of Orontes 2d at Woodburn. Sen- ator 2d, Fortunatus and Yorkshire Maynard produced no extraordinary stock. Of the cows of this memorable importation it is only neces- sary to say that the descendants of Goodness in the hands of George M. Bedford, of Mazurka in the hands of Mr. Alexander, of Gem in the herd of William Warfield, of Roan Duch- ess and Orphan Nell in many different herds, and of Lady Caroline at C. M. Clay's, demon- strated the fact that the original selections were made with rare judgment and that their progeny was handled with uncommon skill. Scott Co. (Ky.) Importing Co. — Near the close of the year 1853 a company was organ- ized in Scott Co., Ky., and Messrs. W. Crockett and James Bagg, as agents, proceeded to Eng- land and purchased seven females and five bulls, which were sold at auction Jan. 10, 1854, at the farm of Mr, M. B. Webb. Included in this lot were the bulls Baron Feversham 17 258 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. 13414, a roan two-year-old bought at the sale by C. Estill of Madison County at the top price of $1,525; the bull Pathfinder 805, a roan year- ling, taken by Messrs. Webb & Ford of Scott County at $860, and the cows Venus by Fair Eclipse (11456), sold to J. Hill of Bourbon County at $710, and Carnation by Budget 22265, bought by C. W. Innes, Fayette County, at $610. The entire lot brought $7,535, an av- erage of $685. In 1854 the same parties who had been inter- ested in the Scott County Co. organized again under the name of the Kentucky Importing Co. and sent Messrs. Wesley Warnock and James Bagg to England for a second lot of cattle. They purchased six bulls and fifteen cows and heifers that were placed upon the farm of C. W. Innes, near Lexington, and in October, 1854, five of the bulls and fourteen of the females were sold at auction, the former averaging $994 and the latter $390. This sale was mem- orable from the fact that Mr. R. A. Alexander, whose extensive operations are shortly to be noticed, paid $3,500 for the roan two-year-old bull Sirius (13737), bred by E. Ackroyd; sired by Concord (11302) out of a daughter of Mr. Fawkes' Fairy Tale, that was also the dam of Fortunatus 1564. The next highest-priced bull was the roan yearling MacGregor 675 — also of Fawkes' breeding — that was taken by John SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 259 Hill at $600. The top price for cows was $650, paid by Mr, R. A. Alexander for the roan two- year-old Bessie Howard, and $600 paid by the same buyer for Lizzie, by Marquis of Carrabas (11789), both bred by Mr. Fawkes. From the cow Matilda, by Villiers (13959)— sold to S. Cor- bin of Bourbon County for $205 — descended the celebrated show heifer Fannie Forrester. Clinton Co. (0.) Association. — An organiza- tion formed in Clinton Co., 0., in 1854 sent as its agents Messrs. H. H. Hankins, J. G. Coulter and A. R. Seymour, who bought and imported seventeen cows and heifers and ten bulls, that were sold Aug. 9 of that year at Wilmington, Clinton County, at an average of $1,037 for the bulls and $649 for the females. The top price for females was $1,675, paid by M. B. Wright and William Palmer, Fayette Co., 0., for the roan cow Duchess, by Norfolk (9442). The roan cow Princess, by Lord Newton, was taken by Hadley & Hankins of Clinton County at $1,060; the white cow Hope, by Duke of York (6947), fell to the bidding of William Palmer at $1,000, and the roan Victoria, sold without pedigree, brought from Mr. Peringer a like sum. Of this importation also was the cow Lady Jane, by Whittington, a red of Wetherell's breeding, bought by David Watson, Madison County, for $500. She left numerous descendant's. Another cow to which some of our American pedigrees 260 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. trace was also in this shipment — Miss Shaftoo, a red by Captain Shaftoe (6833), bred by W- Smith, purchased at this sale by Jesse Starbuck at $650. We should also mention Louisa, a roan by Crusader, taken by J. R. Mills, Clinton County, at $300. The bull Wellington (13989), a roan two-year-old, bred by R. Lawson, com- manded the great price of $3,700 from Messrs. Coulter, Hankins and others. The white two- year-old bull Billy Harrison 263, out of the $1,675 Duchess by Norfolk, was taken by Jesse Starbuck of Clinton County at $1,500. The four-year-old roan Warrior (12287), bred by Richard Booth, sired by Water King (11034) out of Bagatelle by Buckingham, went to B. Hinkson and H. H. Hankins at $1,200. Clark Co. (0.) Co.— The last of the importing companies organized in the State of Ohio was formed in Clark County in 1854. Dr. Arthur Watts of Chillicothe and Alexander Waddle of South Charleston were sent abroad to make the selection and purchased twenty cows and heif- ers and nine bulls that were divided by auction sale Sept. 6, 1854. This importation included some very valuable cattle, some of the most noted of which are listed herewith, together with a few facts of interest : New Year's Day (1,3383), sold at this sale as a roan yearling, was bred by Lee Norman and sired by Magnet (11765) out of Moss Rose by Killerby (7122). He was bought by C. M. Clark of Clark County for $3,500. Before importation he won a first prize at the Royal Dublin Show of 1853. He was extensively exhibited through- SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 261 out the West, and was doubtless the best show bull of his day. His first appearance was at the United States Cattle Show held at Springfield, O-, in the fall of 1854. This was a great event and the scene of a memorable contest between Kentucky and Ohio bred Short-horns. The big light roan Kentucky show bull Perfec- tion 810, belonging to the Louan family; Mr. Bedford's famous Laura and Abram Renick's Rose of Sharon cow Duchess, by Buena Vista, were among the "cracks" present from south of the river, but imp. Duchess, by Norfolk, gained for Ohio premier honors among the cows shown. The Kentuckians were fairly cap- tivated by the young imp. New Year's Day, and after a consulta- tion in which Abram Renick participated they made an earnest effort to buy him at a considerable advance, but without success. New Year's Day won at all the leading shows, and when quite ad- vanced in years was taken West and won prizes at exhibitions held at St. Louis and Chicago. While he did not have any special opportunities as a sire he begot, among other choice cattle, the famous Lady of Clark out of the Miss Wiley cow Anna Hunt, that Mr. Clark had bought in Kentucky. Lady of Clark was afterward sold to go to Illinois. Flora Belle, bred by R. G. Corwin from imp. Scottish Bluebell, was another daughter of New Year's Day that acquired celebrity in the show-ring. Medalist (13324) , a white yearling bull, was , we believe, the first representative of William Torr's breeding brought to America. He was sired by Mr. Booth's celebrated Crown Prince (10087), and was a bull of fine substance and extraordinary spring of rib, deeply covered with flesh. He was • purchased at the sale by Dr. Watts for 12,100 and afterward sold to Harness Renick. Some of the noted show animals exhibited by Mr. Anderson belonging to his Matilda and Rose of Sharon families carried a Medalist cross. Czar 395, a roan yearling got by Baron Warlaby (7813), was taken by A. J. Paige of Clark County at $1,900. Ho was not a large bull, but showed the fleshy character of his Booth ancestors and left much good stock, including the beautiful heiiers Darling, out of imp. Dahlia, and Delightful, from imp. Aylesby Lady. Buckingham 2d 297— also of the Booth blood— brought $1,000. He was bought by William D. Pierce of Clark County, and al- though highly esteemed for his individual merit was not given much chance as a stock bull in the hands of Mr. Pierce, who was a very poor keeper. The top price among the females of this importation was $1,425, made by the roan Torr-Booth cow Aylesby Lady, by Baron War- laby (7813). She was bought by A. J. Paige and was easily one of 262 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. the best cows of her time in this country. She was exceptionally broad, deep and compact, carried a great wealth of flesh, was neat in her bone and a capital milker. She was shown with success at th# Ohio fairs and produced several good calves, including De- lightful already mentioned. Roman 13th, a roan cow bred by Mr. Wilkinson and sired by Will Honeycomb (5660) , possessed great scale and commanded the next highest price — $1,EOO — from Jacob Pierce. She produced the bull Champion, by New Year's Day, that won sweepstakes at the Ohio State Fair of 1858 as best bull of any age or breed, being at that time only eighteen months old. Easter Day, a roan yearling heifer bred by Mr. Fawkes and sired by Lord Marquis (10459), was a low, thick-set, squarely- built cow that was also very successful at the shows, but not a good milker. She was bought at the sale by C. M. Clark at $1,125. Dahlia, a red cow by Upstart (9760) , was taken by A. J. Paige of Clark County at $1,100. Zealous, a roan cow bred by Mr. Wilkinson belonging to a Mason family, went to Alexander Waddle at $1,000. In symmetry of form, quality of hide, hair and flesh this cow was extraordi- nary. She had an abundance of long, soft hair, possessed great refinement of character and was an excellent dairy cow. She was one of several head bought by the agents of the company at a pub- lic sale made by Mr. Wilkinson, this being the first selection made from that fine old herd for America. Lavender 3d and Lancaster 17th— heifers from Mr. Wilkinson's —are of special interest in this connection on account of the fact that they were the earliest representatives in America of a family which afterward acquired celebrity in the hands of Amos Cruick- shank, and through the exhibition in the West of imp. Baron Booth of Lancaster. Lavender 3d was considered a very valu- able heifer and was bought at this sale by Dr. Watts, for $600, and was afterward sold to Walter A. Dun of Madison County. Lan- caster 17th was sold to W. D. Pierce at $900. The nine bulls sold for $10,700, an average of $1,188.88, and the twenty females for $13,215, an average of $660.75. From a consideration of the results obtained in Ohio, Kentucky and other Western States by the use of the blood introduced by the vari- SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 263 ous Ohio companies, it must be conceded that America owes a lasting debt of gratitude to the enterprising men who in these early days, actu- ated largely by a pure desire to benefit the ag- ricultural community, transferred at great cost to themselves so many valuable Short-horns from Great Britain to the West. R, A. Alexander of Woodburn. — No name in American Short-horn history is more revered than that of Robert Aitcheson Alexander. Manifesting a deep interest in cattle-breeding, contemporaneous with Mr. Thome of New York, Mr. Alexander's operations were on a still more extensive scale than those at Thorn- dale, already noted. Moreover they had the additional advantage of being carried on in a community that appreciated to the utmost the extraordinary opportunities- offered by the es- tablishment of such a herd. As the proprietor of the princely estate of Woodburn, Wooclford Co,, Ky. — a short distance west of Lexington, the "blue-grass" capital — Mr. Alexander, with characteristic Scottish thrift, had brought his magnificent farm into a high state of fertility. Stone walls and stone stabling gave an air of solidity to the surroundings. The far-famed Lothians of his native land afforded no rural scenes so fair as those presented by the wood- land pastures of this "old Kentucky home." Naught was wanting to add grace and value to 264 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. the great estate but worthy tenants for its lux- urious fields. During the winter of 1852-53 Mr. Alexander and his brother, A. J., visited Great Britain. The now rapidly reviving interest in cattle- breeding in America had not escaped his no- tice, and it was determined upon the occasion of this visit to the motherland to lay the foun- dation for a great herd of Short-horns at Wood- burn.*31" In the selection of the stock, aggregat- ing about sixty-eight head of cows and heifers and some fifteen head of bulls, Mr. Alexander early gave evidence of his intention to give American cattle-breeders the benefit of a wide range of choice as between the different noted strains of blood then prominent in Great Britain. This phase of Mr. Alexander's character has been well commented upon by Mr. Warfield in the following language: "No importations ever made to America have been of more value to this county than those of Mr. Alexander, and perhaps no man in America has done more for the cultivation of pure-bred stock than did the late Robert Aitcheson Alexander, whether we speak of the Thoroughbred racer or the more sturdy trotter, or of Short-horn, Ayrshire or Alderney cattle, or of Cotswold or South- down sheep. He had an eye for the beauties in each and all. Pos- sessed of a large estate he used it unsparingly in the cultivation of the best quality of stock. Possessed of the power that comes *Woodburn Farm afterward became quite as noted for its rare collec- tion of Thoroughbred and trotting horses as for its Short-horns. It was the home of the great four-mile racer Lexington, and in later years, after the property had passed into the hands of A. J. Alexander, the farm, under the management of Mr. Lucas Brodhead, achieved world-wide fame as a nursery of great performers on the trotting turf. Jersey cattle and Cots- wold and Southdown sheep were also bred. SECOND PERIOD OP ACTIVITY. 265 from great wealth he wielded it all in the support of the best in- terest of the community. Able to command any blood in Short- horns he insisted on having the best. Familiar with pedigrees and knowing what was good and what was bad he honestly ap- plied right principles to the end. Consequently he was carried off into no crochets and gave no particular strain the sole benefit of his great influence, holding it up to the public gaze as the true and only pure blood. On the contrary, few herds have ever been founded on a more varied basis, and few breeders have ever been so catholic in their tastes. Pure Booth, pure Bates, Knightley, Mason, Wiley, Whitaker, 'Seventeen,' every strain nearly that has ever been known on the continent, had a place in his herd and affections. The consequence was the gathering together of a herd that in its prime had certainly no equal on this side of the water, and perhaps as certainly none on the other. All of good sterling worth and fancy, so long as fancy did not conflict with worth, that money would gather together was to be seen on his farm at Wood- burn. Knowing what was good, when he found it in other blood than what was represented in his herd, instead of claiming it to be impure he purchased it and incorporated it with what he already had. Thus he set an example of catholic appreciation which it would do us of this day good to follow more closely." First of the Airdrie Duchesses. — Visiting the leading herds of Britain he bought, among other valuable animals, the two-year-old roan heifer Duchess of Athol and her half-brother, the yearling red-roan bull 2d Duke of Athol (11376), both bred by Col. Towneley, at 500 guineas for the pair. It may be remarked in passing that on this same trip the heifer Ma- zurka, offered at 100 guineas, was declined and left behind, only to be bought at the Kentucky Importing Co.'s sale the following year at $3,050. The 2d Duke and the Athol Duchess had been produced at Towneley by Duchess 54th, that was taken at the Kirklevington dis- 266 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. persiou by Mr. Eastwood at £94 10s. Colonel Towneley had bred Duchess 54th to the Booth bull Lord George (10439), a white bred by John Booth at Killerby from Fitz-Leonard (7010) and the famous Toy cow Birthday, daughter of the celebrated Bracelet. Mr. Alexander was not one of those who insisted upon strict breeding "in line." He liked the yearling that resulted from this "outcross" — 2d Duke of Athol — and bought him, but the young Duch- ess and 2d Duke were left for a time in Eng- land. To a service by the 2d Duke of Athol or Valiant (10989) Duchess of Athol produced Duchess of Airdrie — so called from the Alex- ander family estate at Airdrie House, Scotland — the first of the line of that name destined to play a remarkable role in American Short-horn history. Duchess of Athol was then bred to the Duke of Gloster (11382), that had been bought at Lord Ducie's sale in 1853 by Morris & Becar for $3,350, with the understanding that he was to be left in England one year before being shipped to America; the progeny this time being the red - and - white bull calf registered and afterward famous throughout the Western States as imp. Duke of Airdrie (12730). The Alexander importation of July, 1853. -The first lot consigned for Woodburn in- cluded thirty-six females and five bulls, which SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 267 were forwarded by the same vessel that carried the valuable purchases of the Northern Ken- tucky Co. in 1853. Few cargoes of greater ul- timate value have ever been discharged upon American shores than that landed after this voyage by the good ship Washington, under the 'command of Capt. Duncan. Hundreds of herds of pedigreed Short-horns and thousands of the best bullocks ever bred in the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys in after years owed their excellence in a large measure to the valuable blood introduced into the West as a result of the two consignments brought by this vessel. Among the animals in this initial shipment for Woodburn was the red-and-white cow Miss Hudson — bred by Wiley of Brandsby— belong- ing to a tribe originated by Mason of Chilton. Several of her daughters were also bought by Mr. Alexander, and from this foundation sprang the Miss Wiley and Loudon Duchess families afterward so famous in Kentucky, Ohio and the West. Other cows included in this consign- ment were the Bell-Bates Filbert, a roan by 2d Cleveland Lad; Jubilee, Jubilee 2d, Joyful and Juniata of the " J" Princess family, all bred by Mr. Tanqueray; Miss Towneley, mainly of Fawkes blood; Maid Marion, Beatrice, Sweet Mary, Buttercup, Nightingale and Grisi, by Grand Duke, of Bolden's breeding. Among the bulls were Lord John (11278), a roan by Nor- 268 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. folk (9442),* and Fantichini (12862), bred by Fawkes and tracing to Fair Sovereign, by Sir Thomas Fairfax. Subsequent shipments to Woodburn Farm. —During the years immediately following Mr. Alexander purchased and imported thirty-two head of cows, heifers and bulls from first-class English herds, bringing out along with them Duchess of Athol and her daughter, Duchess of Airdrie, and son, Duke of Airdrie already men- tioned. Also such cows as Pearlette, red-and- white, bred by S. E. Bolden, sired by the famous Booth bull Benedict (7828); Victoria 20th, a roan belonging to the Mason blood; Filigree, a white heifer, bred by Mr. Saunders and sired by Abram Parker (9856), of Booth descent; Lady Gulnare, bred by Ambler from Mr. Fawkes' Booth cow Gulnare by Norfolk (2377); Minna, Constance and Rosabella, all bred by Mr. Fawkes and all sired by Bridegroom (11203); Lady Derby and her dam, the Bell-Bates cow Forget-me-not; Lydia Languish, by Duke of Gloster (11382); Vellum, bred by Sir C. Tempest, sired by Abram Parker (9856); Lady Barrington 13th, bred by. R. Bell from 4th Duke of York (10167); Abigail, sired by Loyalist (10479), and Minerva 3d, a red * This Norfolk should not be confused with Norfolk (23T7), that has been so frequently mentioned. He was not only the sire of Mr. Alexander's Lord John but of the great roan cow Duchess, imported by the Clinton Co. (O.) Co. in 1854, that was first-prize female at the United States Cattle Show at Springfield, O., that year, SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 269 Gwynne cow, and her roan heifer Lady Sher- wood, by 5th Duke of York. In addition to the Bates bulls 2d Duke of Athol and Duke of Airdrie Mr. Alexander im- ported the Booth-bred Dr. Buckingham (14405), bred by Ambler, sired by Hopewell (10332); El Hakim (15984), a red-roan bred by Bolden from the Duchess bull Grand Duke (10284) and the Booth cow Fame, by Raspberry; The Priest (6246), a roan sired by The Prior (13870) out of the Mason-bred cow Graceful 2d by Earl of Dublin (10178); Baron Martin (12444), roan, bred by Holmes of Ireland, sired by the Booth bull Baron Warlaby (7813) out of a Mason Vic- toria dam; and several others. As will appear from the reports of the sales made by the Northern Kentucky and Scott County companies, Mr. Alexander added to his own extensive importations, by purchase, the grand cows Mazurka, Maid of Melrose and Equity and such bulls as Orontes 2d and Sirius. After breeding from this extraordinary array of cattle for several years the Woodburn herd numbered something like 200 head and was beyond all question the best collection of Short- horns then in North America. Indeed it is doubt- ful if its superior, size considered, existed at that time in either England or the United States. The leading Kentucky breeders of that period were not slow to take advantage of this valu- 270 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. able material, and in a subsequent chapter we shall have occasion to point out the far-reach- ing effects of Mr. Alexander's importations* upon Short-horn breeding in the Western States for a long series of years. Importations by the Shakers. — In 1854 and 1856 the society of Shakers at Union Village, Warren Co., 0., imported about eighteen cows and heifers and eight young bulls, most of which were from the fine old herd of James Douglas' of Athelstaneford, Scotland. Among the cows were April Morn, Violante (with white heifer Ata- lanta), Marchioness, Margaret, Duchess, Blanche (with white heifer Lady Blanche), Farewell, Bellevue and Heroine, all from the Douglas herd. Of Mark Stewart's (of South wick) breed- ing was Hawthorne Blossom, and from Mr. Hutchinson's stock they obtained the roan Prize Flower, by Prince Charlie (13503). From Mr. Douglas they also bought the bulls Captain Balco (12546), Morning Star (14962), King of Trumps (14767), Chancellor (12579), Hearts of. Oak (14684), Duke of Soiithwick (14455), and Hawthorne Hero (14682). In 1854 the Shakers of Pleasant Hill, Ky., * Mr. Ben F. Vanmeter, who afterward became a prominent breeder in Kentucky, in the course of a recent letter to the author says: "I came home across the Atlantic with Mr. R. A. Alexander in 1853 just before he made his first importation of blooded stock. He and I were the only two South- ern men on board, and although I was then only nineteen years old a friend- ship sprang1 up between us which continued to the end of his life. I con- sider that he was the greatest benefactor the blooded-stock interest has ever had in America." SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 271 imported the bull Duke of Cambridge 447. They had many years previously bought, in connection with Hon. Henry Clay, for $1,000 the imported bull Orozimbo 786, and also bought cows imported by Mr. Gambel, via New Orleans. James S. Matson (Kentucky). — In 1852 J. S. Matson of Paris, Ky., imported the roan two- year-old bull John o' Gaunt (11621), bred by J. S. Tanqueray, and the roan yearling Javelin (11610) of Lord Hill's breeding. The former was used on some of the best cows in the State, including a number of Abrarn Renick's. Wilson & Seawright (Ohio). — In 1854 Messrs. Wilson & Seawright of Cincinnati, 0., imported the bulls Fair Trader 1545, Lord Eglinton 1795, Deceiver 409, Locomotive 646, Benjamin Dis- raeli 12517 and heifers Gaudy, White Stockings, Margaret and Isidora. This same firm subse- quently imported four other heifers, two of which were named White Rose (both white), one Fanny with heifer calf, and a fourth the roan Laura. The two White Roses and Laura were bred in Ireland. Mason and Bracken (Kentucky) Associa- tion.— In the year 1856 a group of Kentucky breeders organized a company under the name of the Mason and Bracken Counties Importing Co. Their purchasing agents were Messrs. Al- exander R. Marshall and Henry Smoot, the importation being lauded at Philadelphia in 272 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. June of that year. It included sixteen cows and heifers and five bulls. No sale was made by this company until Oct. 1, 1859, after the financial crisis of 1857 had swept values away, and we are without details as to prices ob- tained. They were doubtless low. Among the females were the following: Duenna, roan two- year-old, bred by Mr. Bolden and belonging to a Bell-Bates family; Diana, roan two-year-old, sold to J. E. French, Mason Co., Ky.; Alice, red- and-white two-year-old, sired by Harbinger (10297), sold to J. C. Humphrey; Light of the Harem, roan two-year-old, bred by Mr. Fawkes, sold to B. Jameson; Lady Macbeth, two-year- old, bred by Mr. Fawkes, sold to H. Smoot; Jennie Deans, roan two-year-old, bred in Ire- land, sold to Messrs. Durrett. Among the bulls were: Macbeth (13266), a roan, bred by Mr. Fawkes, sired by Bridegroom (11203); Vatican 12260, a roan, bred by Earl Ducie and sired by Usurer (9763); Blandimar 19044, a roan, bred by Sir Charles Knightley, sired by Earl of Dub- lin (10178) and belonging to the Fawsley Wal- nut tribe. The importation did not leave any special impress upon Kentucky Short-horn breeding. Livingston Co. (N. Y.) Association. — A num- ber of well-to-do farmers and cattle-breeders in the Genesee Valley of New York formed a company in 1854 known as the " Livingston SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 273 County Stock Association," and through their agents, Messrs. David Brooks and S. L. Fuller, purchased in England twenty-four Short-horns. Unfortunately one-half of these were lost dur- ing a storm at sea. Among the surviving ani- mals were the bulls Governor 2922, Usurper 3522 and Bletsoe 2548, and the cows Music, a roan of the Gwynne family bred by Mr. Tan- queray, ^ sired by Balco (9918); Hopeless, red- and-white, sired by Horatio (10335); Lady El- lington, red, sired by Broughton Hero (6811); Medora, also a Gwynne, by Horatio, (10335); Phoenix 2d, red-roan, by Horatio (10335); Aus- tralia, red -and -white, by Lord Foppington (10437), and Camilla, red-roan Gwynne of Tan- queray's breeding, sired by Fusileer (11499). Several of these cows passed into the posses- sion of * Gen. James S. Wads worth of Geneseo and left a valuable progeny. Soon after this importation was made the bull Governor 2922 was sent out to the same parties. Thomas Richardson (New York). — About the year 1854 Thomas Richardson of New York City imported some Short-horns along with other live stock, among them the Duke of Cambridge (12746) and the Booth-bred cows Bijou, by Crown Prince (10087); Fanella, by Baron Warlaby (7813); Fanny Warlaby, by same sire; Harmony, by Crown Prince; Rachel, by Hopewell (10332), together with Laura, by 18 274 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Hector (13002), and Lady Constance, by Lord Derby (13179). Three of the Booth cows were bred by Mr. R. Chaloner, Kings Fort, Ireland, and one by Mr. Torr. These were kept on Mr. Richardson's farm at Westchester, the herd being sold soon after his death, which occurred a few years after the arrival of the importa- tion. Dr. H. Wendell (New York).— In 1856 Dr. H. Wendell of Albany brought out an importation of four cows and heifers and the bull Lord Ducie 662--all bred by R. Bell and crossed by Bates bulls. The red Craggs cow Alice Maud, by Grand Duke (10284); the roan Lady Liver- pool, by 3d Duke of York (10166); the red-and- white Acomb heifer Agnes, by Earl of Derby (10177), and the roan two-year-old Famous (of the Bell-Bates Fletcher tribe), by Earl of Derby (10177), were in this shipment. Agnes was in calf to Gen. Canrobert (12926) and dropped the red-and- white Duchess of Cleveland after im- portation to that service.* J. 0. Sheldon (New York).— Sheldon of Ge- neva, N. Y.> who afterward acquired the Thorne Duchesses, imported in 1857 the roan yearling Bates Oxford bull Grand Duke of Oxford ( 16184) , bred by Capt. Gunter from Oxford llth; the red *We have neglected to list in its proper order the importation of the red-and-white cow Lucy, by Young North Star (2384), brought into New York in 183(5 by a Capt. Sproul. This cow was bougrht by J. S. Berryrnau of Fayette Co,, Ky., in 1338. SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 275 yearling Grand Duke 2d (14640), alias Claren- don 2632, bred by Jonas Webb and afterward sold to N. L. Chaffee of Ohio; and the roan heifer Miss Butterfly, by Master Butterfly 2d (14918) out of Ratafia by King Arthur (13110). R. F. Nichols (Louisiana).— In 1856 Mr. R. F. Nichols of New Orleans imported the two roan cows Lady Stanhope 2d and Nightingale, both sired by Whitaker Comet (8771). As to where they were taken and as to what progeny they left we a're not advised. First importations into Indiana.— We have now to record the first direct importation from England into the territory west of the State of Ohio. In 1838 Mr. Chris. Whitehead of Frank- lin County imported the roan two-year-old bull Eryx (1982), bred by Mr. Tempest and got by Brutus (1752) out of Venus by Sir Walter (2638); the cow Young Venus, by Reveller (2529), in calf to Young Grazier (8929) — the progeny being the roan bull Grazier 4041 — and heifer Strawberry, by Eryx. In the year 1853 Dr. A. C. Stevenson of Green- castle, Incl., imported four heifers and two young bulls, as follows: Bloom, red-and-white, and Violet, roan, both bred by John Emerson and both daughters of Master Belleville (11795); Miss Welbourn, a roan bred by Messrs. Weth- erell, sired by St. John (27755), and Strawberry 5th, red-roan, bred by Mr. Thornton of Staple- 276 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. ton, sired by Deliverance (11347). The bulls were Prince of Wales 876, a roan of Mr. Weth- erell's breeding, sired by Whittington (12299), and the roan Fancy Boy 492, bred by Mr. Thorn- ton, sired by Major (11771). An early importation to Wisconsin. — In 1854 Mr. John P. Roe of Waukesha County brought the first imported Short-horns into Wisconsin. The lot consisted of three or four females and a bull, all bred by George Faulkner of Rothersthorpe. The shipment included the red cow Sally, by Pilot (24748); the two-year- old red heifer Raspberry, by Protection (11956); red yearling heifer Diana, by Dictator (11356), and red yearling bull Rothersthorpe 928, by Dictator (11356). Raspberry was in calf to Rothersthorpe, and dropped the red heifer Re- gina. (See Vol. II, A. H. B.) Illinois Importing Co. — Prominent among those who settled at an early date upon the fertile prairies of the State of Illinois were a class of men, principally from the State of Ken- tucky, who not only brought good cattle with them but advanced ideas as to the value of good blood in the maintenance of their herds. They found the grasses and grains of Illinois quite as well adapted to beef-cattle breeding as those of their native State, and it was not long before several good herds of Short-horns were estab- lished. Chief among those who were foremost SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 277 in this pioneer work with Short-horns in the newer West must be mentioned the late Capt. James N. Brown, whose magnificent estate of Grove Park in Sangamon County still remains in the family and is still devoted largely to cattle-growing and feeding operations. Capt. Brown removed from Kentucky in the year 1833 and brought with him some good Short- horns, which constituted, we believe, the earliest introduction of the breed into the Upper Missis- sippi Valley. Soon after these early settlers founded their herds, however, the great depres- sion from 1840 to 1850 settled down upon the country and slow progress was made in the im- provement of the Illinois cattle, but with the revival of interest that occurred in other States in the fifties the enterprising breeders of Cen- tral Illinois resolved to undertake in earnest the work of bringing their herds up to the standard of those that had existed for so many years in Kentucky and Ohio. Accordingly in the year 1857 a syndicate was formed for the purpose of making a direct importation from England. Capt. James N. Brown was the master-spirit of this organization, and the whole project would have failed had he not consented to act as one of the agents for the purchase of the cattle on the other side. Messrs. H. C. Johns and H. Jacoby were selected to act as his assist- 278 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. ants. They proceeded to Great Britain, and ' after careful examination of many of the lead- ing herds in England, Scotland and Ireland they purchased ten bulls and twenty-one cows and heifers. These were shipped on the sailing ves- sel Georgia, which had a stormy passage of some sixty days' duration. Three bulls and one heifer died at sea, but the rest were duly landed at Philadelphia in July, 1857. Following the prac- tice of their predecessors in the older States the stockholders decided to divide up the cattle through the medium of an auction sale. It was first agreed, in order that the full benefit of this importation might accrue to the State of Illi- nois, to bar all bidders from other States. The sale was held on the local fair-grounds at Spring- field Aug. 27, 1857, and attracted widespread in- terest. There was not only a. great attendance from Illinois but numerous breeders were pres- ent as spectators from adjacent States. It was a great event in the early agricultural history of the West.* It was an exciting day at Spring- » To Mr. William Brown, son of the late Capt. James N. Brown, the author is indebted for a copy of the original catalogue of this memorable sale, the title-page of which reads, "Catalogue of Pure-Blooded Short- Horned Cattle, also Horses, Sheep and Hogs, owned by the Illinois Import- ing Association." The horses seem to have consisted of a three-year-old Cleveland Bay stallion, a two-year-old Thoroughbred stallion and a black Thoroughbred mare that unfortunately died before the sale. The sheep consisted of Cotswolds and Southdowns, the latter mainly from the flock of Jonas Webb, the breeder of the bull King Alfred, to be mentioned. The swine consisted of Berkshires from the herds of E. Bowly of Siddington, Hewer of Highworth and others, and of Irish, Cumberland and Yorkshire SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 279 field, and fortunately for the company (but per- haps unfortunately for the individual buyers at the sale) the event occurred a few weeks before the alarming financial panic of 1857 overtook the business interests of the Nation. In view of the fact that this was the primal auction sale of Short-horns in the Western country it will be of interest to produce here- with a full report: BULLS. Defender (12687), roan three-year-old; bred by A. Cruick- shank, Sittyton, and the first bull from that afterward celebrated herd brought to America ; sired by Matadore (11800)— A. G. Carle, Champaign County $2,500 Admiral 2473, red two-year-old, bred by Lord Talbot of Ire- land, sired by Chrisp's Phoenix (10608) out of the Booth- crossed cow Maid of Moynalty by Beau of Killerby (7821) — S. Dunlap & Co. 2,500 Argus (14102), roan yearling, bred by H. Combe; sired by Beau (12182) out of Annie by Broughton Hero (6811), a roan bull illustrated on page 25, Vol. VI, Coates' Herd Book, sired by Buchan Hero (3238)— George Barnett, Will County 2,055 King Alfred (14760), red two-year-old, bred by Jonas Webb, sired by Cheltenham (12588) ; dam Heart's Ease by Lord of the North (11743)— Brown, Jacoby & Co., Sangamon County 1,300 Dubloon 3833^, red yearling; bred by J. Topham, Ireland; sired by Orphan Boy (13429)— W. lies, Sangamon County 1,075 Goldfinder 2920J4, roan bull calf, bred by H. Ambler; sired by Grand Turk (12969) , that was imported by Mr. Thome — J. C. Bone, Sangamon County 725 Master Lowndes 3140)4, roan two-year old, sired by Belle- rophon (11165)— J. H. Spears, Menard County 725 COWS AND HEIFERS. Rachel 3d, roan two-yeir-old, bred by S. E. Bolden : sired by Duke of Bolton (12738), a Bates-topped Booth bud; dam the Booth-bred Rachel by Leonard (4210), tracing to the Halnaby foundation— Jas. N. Brown, Sangamon County. $3,025 280 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Emerald, roan yearling ; bred by T. Barnes, Westland, Ire- land ; sired by the Booth bull Hopewell (10332) ; dam Ruby by Royal Buck (10750) , running to Mason's Lady Sarah — J. C. Bone 2,125 Empress, roan two-year-old, bred by Edward Bowly of Sid- dington, sired by Tortworth Duke (13892) ; dam Flippant, by Bourton Hero (9983)— Henry Jacoby 1,725 Western Lady, roan two-year-old, bred by H. Ambler, sired by Grand Turk (12969)*; dam Wiseton Lady by Humber (7102) , running through Earl Spencer's herd to a Mason foundation — Capt. James N. Brown 1,325 Lady Harriet, roan three-year-old, bred by A. Cruickshank and the first Sittyton-bred cow brought to America ; sired by Procurator (10657) , dam Countess of Lincoln by Dia- mond (5918) ; bulled by Lord Sackville (13249)— J. H. Jacoby, Sangamon County 1,300 Fama, red-and-white yearling, bred by S. E. Bolden, sired by imp. 2d Grand Duke (10284) and tracing to Booth's Fame— J. H. Spears & Co., Menard County 1,050 Pomegranate, roan yearling, bred by Rev. T. Cator, sired by Master Charley (13312); dam Cassandra by Norfolk (9442) , a granddaughter of Fawkes' Fair Maid of Athens by Sir Thomas Fairfax, running to Booth's Isabella by Pilot— T. Simpkins, Pike County 975 Stella, roan four-year-old, bred by E. Bowly, sired by Snow- storm (12119)— Mr. Bonnman, St. Clair County 925 Perfection, red yearling, bred by A. Cruickshank, sired by The Baron (13833), dam Model by Matadore (11800)— E. B. Hill, Scott County 900 Adelaide, roan yearling, bred by A. Cruickshank, sired by Matadore (11800), dam Edith Fairfax by Sir Thomas Fairfax (4196)— R. Morrison, Morgan County 825 Minx, red yearling, bred by J. Christy of Ireland, sired by Lord Spencer (13251)— J. G. Loose, Sangamon County. . . 800 Bella, roan five-year-old, bred by E. Bowly, sired by Cali- fornia (10017)— J. Ogle, St. Clair County 750 Violet, roan yearling, bred by Jonas Webb, sired by Young Scotland (13681 ) —Col. J. W. Judy, Menard County 700 Constance, roan two-year-old, bred by E. Bowly, sired by Snowstorm (12119) —George Barnett, Will County 700 * Grand Turk was a bull of immense size, and for a big one quite as smoothly put together as could be expected. He was imported to New York by the Thornes. See page 24f. SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 281 Cassandra 3d, roan two-year-old, bred by Rev. T. Cat/or; sired by Master Charley (13312), tracing to the Booth cow Medora by Ambo— H. Owslcy, Sangamon County. . . 675 Empress Eugenie, rcd-and-white two-year-old, bred by H. Ambler, sired by Bridegroom (11203), tracing to the Cherry by Waterloo foundation — J. Ogle, St. Glair County 675 Coquette, roan yearling, bred by E. Bowly, sired by Econo- mist (11425)— George Barnett, Will County 550 Lily, white two-year-old, bred by E. Bowly, sired by Snow- storm (12119)— George Barnett 550 Caroline, roan four-year-old, bred by Lowndes, sired by Ar- row (9906)— J. M. Hill, Cass County 500 Coronation, red yearling, bred by Jonas Webb, sired by Chel- tenham (12588)— J. A. Pickrell, Sangamon County 500 7 bulls sold for $10,880 ; an average of f l ,554 20- females sold for 20,575 ; an average of 1,028 27 animals sold for 31,455 ; an average of 1.165 With the single exception of the imported cow Mazurka, for which Mr. R. A. Alexander had paid $3,050 at the Northern Kentucky Im- porting Cb.'s sale, the purchase of Rachel 2d by Capt. Brown at $3,025 represented high-water mark up to that date for a Short-horn female at public sale in North America. This cow is described to us by Col. James W. Judy as "a rich roan, rather leggy, quite lengthy and some- what light in the body." Unfortunately for her buyer she lived but a few years and had no produce that proved fruitful. Western Lady, Caroline and Constance were the cows that left the most and best progeny among all the fe- males of the importation. In fact, so far as herd-book records indicate, these three cows are about the only ones that did found families 282 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. of any consequence. While Emerald was per- haps the best individual cow sold, Western Lady was easily the most valuable, as subse- quently demonstrated by the large and excel- lent tribe she gave to the Western States. Car- oline was out of condition on day of sale, but proved to be a good purchase. Among the bulls King Alfred of Jonas Webb's breeding was un- doubtedly the most valuable although not the highest-priced. While he was preferred by some as an individual to any other bull in the lot, yet a majority of those in attendance re- garded Admiral and Defender as the two show bulls of the importation. Founding of the American Herd Book.— America was practically without a public ped- igree registry for Short-horn cattle until 1855. The late Lewis F. Allen of Black Rock, N. Y., had, it is true, issued the small initial volume of the American Herd Book in 1846, but at that early date few breeders could be found to take an interest in the project, and the entries were limited largely to the pedigrees of such stock as Mr. Allen was personally familiar with — no- tably animals owned in New York, Pennsylva- nia and New England. It was not until the second volume' was issued 'in the autumn of 1855 that the breeders of the West came to the support of the register. Prior to that time some of the leading breeders and importers SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 283 had been content with recording certain of their animals in the English Herd Book. Others maintained, with more or less accu- racy, their own private records, showing the lineage of their stock. Another large class preserved no detailed account of the breeding of their cattle, or handled their records so loose- ly as to render them of little value. It was indeed an appalling task that confronted Mr. Allen at the outset of his undertaking. It was even a more difficult work than had been assumed by George Coates in Yorkshire some thirty years previous. Coates could throw the saddlebags upon his old white "nag" and jog about among the breeders, within a day's jour- ney, at his convenience. Moreover he had the powerful influence of Jonas Whitaker at his back. Mr. Allen had to collect the data of half a century of breeding in the new world; the stock being mainly in the possession of peo- ple unaccustomed to the preservation of pedi- gree records. The cattle \vere in the hands of a great number of people in widely-separated States; scattered in fact throughout an empire extending from New England to the Central West. Mr. Allen had some qualifications for the work. He had been breeding Short-horns him- self in a modest way, and enjoyed the personal acquaintance of a number of Eastern import- 284 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. ers, including such men as Col. Powel, F. M. Rotch and others. The first volume was issued during the depression of the "forties." In the meantime, a committee of breeders had been appointed in Kentucky to investigate and col- lect the pedigrees of Short-horns bred in that State. The results of this committee's investi- gations were not published, but supplied a basis for further research. When Mr. Allen undertook the second volume of the book, after the revival of the "fifties," he met with good encouragement, the book ultimately appearing in the autumn of 1855 with something like 3,000 pedigrees.* The lead- ing breeders of the West had joined with those of the East in placing the work squarely upon its feet. Pedigrees were forwarded from Ken- tucky by such men as1 Edwin G., Benjamin C. and George M. Bedford; Dr. R. J. Brecken ridge, 0. H. Burbidge; Brutus J., Cassius M., M. M. and H. Clay Jr.; Silas Corbin, the Messrs. Cun- ningham, R. T. Dillard, Messrs. Dudley, Jere and William R. Duncan, J. P. Fisher, John Allen Gano, the Garrards, James and Reuben Hutchcraft, C. W. Innes, George W. Johnson, J. G. Kinnaird, Samuel D. Martin, James S. Matson, A brain and James Renick, the Shakers, the Shropshires, the Vanmeters, Warfields and others. From Ohio came the pedigrees of the "This total includes stock recorded as produce under dams. BECGNB PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 285 cattle of such breeders as James R. Anderson, Ezra and Walter T. Carpenter, R. G. Corwin; John G., Walter A. and Robert G. Dun; James Fullington, John Hadley, H. H. Hankins; Chas., David and William Harrold; R. Jackson, Wil- liam Neff, Jacob Pierce; Felix W., George and Harness Renick; M. L. Sullivant, the Shakers of Union Village, Allen Trimble and Alexander Waddle. From the farther West ped igrees were received — indicating that the Short - horns were gradually working their way toward the Mississippi River — from such men as Hon. John Wentworth of Chicago; Capt. James N. Brown and James D. Smith of Sangamon Co., 111.; George Barnett of Will Co., 111., and Gen. Sol Meredith of Cambridge City, Ind. The East contributed largely from such herds as those of Samuel Thorne, S. T. Ta-ber, S. P. Chapman, Messrs. Cowles and Haines of Connecticut, Wil- liam Kelly of New York, Paoli Lathrop of Mas- sachusetts, John R. Page of New York, J. A. Poole of New Jersey, T. P. Remington of Penn- sylvania, and J. T. Sheafe, J. M. Sherwood, Lor- illard Spencer, Ambrose Stevens and others of New York. The records set forth in these initial volumes were not in all cases complete. Errors and even forgeries crept in, but the foundation was laid. Quickly recognizing the necessity of such public registration, breeders generally co-oper- 286 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. ated in the work and the herd book soon at- tained National support. It was continued as a private enterprise by Mr. Allen until 1883, when it was purchased by the American Short- horn Breeders' Association. CHAPTER XI. SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. Thus far our story has of necessity dealt mainly with foundation facts. We have sketched briefly the upbuilding of the breed in its native land and have now outlined the importations that formed the basis of breeding operations in the United States. We pass, therefore, at this point to a consideration of the more important results flowing from the extensive introduction of English blood already noted. We have shown that the Gough & Miller, Sanders, Powel, Dun and other early importa- tions were utilized to the fullest possible extent in developing cattle-feeding as a leading indus- try in the Ohio Valley. The descendants of those importations were bred before the days of herd books and "fashions" purely for the practical business purposes of the farm and feed-lot. As illustrating the absence of preju- dice against the blood of the older importa- tions in the early days, it may be mentioned that at a sale held by Samuel Smith in Ken- tucky Sept. 11, 1838, the Mrs. Motte ("Seven- (237) 288 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. teen") cow Cleopatra, by Accommodation (2907), brought $1,230, and her daughter Ellen, by the great Powel bull Oliver (2387), $1,235- the latter bought by Dillard & Ferguson. The bull Oliver Keene, only five months old, fetched $1,000 from William P. Hume. At same sale Dillard & Ferguson got imp. Adelaide at $1,375, and imp. Beauty of Wharfdale went for $755. For imp. Mary Ann and calf Richard Jackson and B. P. Grey paid $2,100. Evidently the home-bred stock was as good as the imported. This fact is also proved by the show-yard rec- ords of that period.* It is apparent from the ratings in these competitions that the "Seven- teens" were of good form and character, and that the Kentucky breeders had kept pace up to the time of the Ohio Co.'s operations \vith the work of their brother-breeders in Britain. * At the fair at Lexington, September, 1834, the judges— H. Clay, James Renick, Jacob Hughes, Isaac Vanmeter and W. P. Hume— certainly very competent men— assigned the prizes as follows : Aged bulls— "Seventeens" both first and second; two-year-olds— "Seventeens" both first and second; yearlings— "Seventeens" both first and second; bull calves— first to a "Sev- enteen," second to a Patton. Aged cows— first to imp. Caroline (by Dash- wood), second to a Powel cow; two-year-olds— "Seventeens" both first and second; yearlings— "Seventeens" both first and second; calves— "Seven- teens" first, Dun importation second. In 1835 about the same result was recorded. The old stock won seven first prizes and six second prizes, the newly-imported stock one first prize and two seconds. Coming down to 1839, at the Lexington Fair that year the first-prize aged bull came from the Smith and Dun importation; two-year-old, from the Ohio Co.'s; yearling, from Dun's; calf, Ohio Co.'s; two-year-old heifer, Ohio Co.'s; yearling, "Seventeen"; cow calf, "Seventeen." In 1840: Aged bull, Powel; two- year-old, Ohio Co.; yearling, Ohio Co.; calf, "Seventeen"; aged cow, "Sev- enteen"; two-year-old, "Seventeen"; yearling, "Seventeen"; calf, "Sev- enteen." In 1841: Aged bull (late importation), Letton's; two-year-old, Letton's; yearlings, H. Clay'; aged cows, "Seventeen"; two-year-old, Ohio Co.; yearling, Letton's: calf, Ohio Co. SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 289 Such bulls as Mr. Button's Frederick 575, Capt. Warfielcl's Pioneer 819, Mr. Wasson's Otley (4632), .Mr. Vanmeter's Charles Colling 333, Dr. Kinnaird's Patrick Henry, Capt. Warfield's Oli- ver (2387) and Cossack (3503), Cunningham & Co.'s Goldfinder (2066) and Mr. Renick's Para- gon of the West (4649) were prominent among the early prize-winners. Such cows as Dr. Kinnaird's Olivia, Mr. Dun's Caroline, Mr. Let- ton's lanthe, Mr. Vanmeter's Hannah More, Capt. Cunningham's Catherine Turley and Capt. Warfield's Helen Eyre, Ellen Ware and the never-beaten Caroline would be a credit to any modern show-ring. Large numbers of the prize animals were sired by Oliver, Goldfinder and Cossack. With the various shipments of the Ohio Co., Vail, Stevens, Morris & Becar, Thorne, the Northern Kentucky Co. and R. A. Alexander, and the establishment of the herd book, the question of "caste" was projected into the trade. Time-honored strains were presently sneered at by some who had invested in the blood of the later importations. Bates and his followers had inoculated some of the American buyers with the idea of a select Short-horn ar- istocracy based upon the "only bloods at al) likely to do anybody any good"; and the Amer- ican competition at the Ducie sale, together with the prices paid by Mr. Thorne for the 19 290 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Grand Dukes and the Morris & Becar cattle, had attracted very general attention to the Bates-bred sorts. A new era dawns.— By the time Mr. Alex- ander brought the first Duchess blood to Wood- burn the herds of Kentucky had attained a high degree of excellence. Untrammeled by fash- ion, prejudice, line breeding and other latter- day problems the brothers James and Abram Renick, the Vanmeters, Warfields, Bedfords, Clays, Jere Duncan, Dr. Breckenridge, and their contemporaries on both sides of the Ohio River, had developed their cattle along practical lines until they would bear favorable comparison with the parent herds of York and Durham. They had been free to follow the dictates of their own individual judgment, re- gardless of color, blood lines or aught else- save the one paramount consideration of the practical utility of their stock. They were sell- ing breeding animals to go into Ohio, Virginia, Indiana and Illinois, and with the creation of the great herd at Woodburn the position of Kentucky as the center of Short-horn breeding activity in America was, for the time being, well assured. With the advent of Mr. Alexander's Bates Duchess bull imp. Duke of Airdrie (12730) a new era may be said to have dawned in West- ern Short-horn breeding. Notwithstanding the SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 291 fact that the two highest-priced cows sold at auction in America prior to the Civil War- imp. Mazurka and imp. Rachel 2d — were repre- sentative of Booth blood the cross of the Duke of Airdrie upon the Kentucky-bred cows proved so satisfactory that the Bates cattle straight- way attained a widespread popularity. As the herds of the Central West — the present seat of Short-horn power in America — were primarily founded by purchase, mainly in Kentucky after the Duke of Airdrie's use, it will be of interest to note briefly the main facts concerning his career. Duke of Airdrie (12730).— It is not too much to say that this impressive Bates Duchess sire did more to shape the course of Short-horn breeding in the West during the twenty years following his importation than any other ani- mal of that period. It will be remembered (see pages 266-268) that Mr. Alexander brought him to Kentucky in September, 1855. He was at that time two years old. He was immedi- ately put in service in Mr. Alexander's mag- nificent herd of cows and there had an extra- ordinary opportunity. In March, 1857, he was let for a year to George M. Bedford of Bourbon County, under a contract permitting the bull to serve fifty cows, for a net sum of $1,250. Mr. Alexander, with his usual generosity, per- mitted substitutions in cases where cows failed 292 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. to stand, so that nearly fifty calves were se- cured during the year he was on hire from Woodburn. His get from the earlier service at Woodburn proved of extraordinary merit, but his work while at Mr. Bedford's was even more remarkable. While in Bourbon County he was permitted to serve some cows for Abram Ren- ick and Maj. Jere Duncan, and it was for years asserted that these services from the Duke of Airdrie fairly made the reputation of the three breeders named. Individually Duke of Airdrie was perhaps not the equal of hi-s sire, Duke of Gloster (11382), that was imported by Morris & Becar into New York. He inherited from the Duke a lot of quality in addition to long, level hind quarters and the fault of prominent hips; but, like old Gloster, he proved a wonderfully successful sire of good bulls. He was probably not above the average in size, with a short, well-carried head, rather strong horns and smoother shoulders than his sire, with an exceptionally straight and level top. He would probably be considered at the present time as rather too high from the ground, a characteristic, by the way, that has not been held to be so objectionable by many of the Kentucky breeders as by their brethren of the North and West.* He was never kept in *The late Gen. Sol. Meredith of Indiana once visited Kentucky to see among- other noted animals the $4,850 bull imp. Challenger (14252), of Ducie's breeding, a son of the 4th Duke of York (10167), owned by the Vanmetera SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 293 high condition. No portrait was ever made of him in his prime, but about six months be- fore his death, when he was very low in flesh, Mr. John R. Page of New York executed an oil "painting of him, from a copy of which the pic- ture in this volume has been prepared. George M.Bedford's lease of "The Duke." —As one of the original demonstrators of the Duke of Airdrie's outstanding value as a sire, some account of George M. Bedford's career as a breeder will be of interest. He began about 1828 with the Long-horns and other crosses, together with some Patton stock. In 1838 he purchased at Gen. Garrard's sale the "Seventeen" bull Eclipse, for which he paid the sum of $688.* In 1842 Mr. Bedford ac- quired an interest in the cow Rosabella, out of imp. Rose by Skipton, which, bred to Sir Al- fred 969 (he by Rose of Sharon's only son Par- and Cunningham. The General was perhaps the tallest breeder of Short- horns north of the Ohio River at this time. On visiting the stalls the own- ers were not present, but the herdsman led out Challenger for the big " Hoosier's " examination. While thus engaged one of the Vanmeters, who himself was perhaps over six feet tall, came up and patiently waiting till the General was through and had ordered the bull back to his stall ap- proached and said: "Well, stranger, you have given him a close look; what do you think of him? " The General had admired the bull in many of his points, and after mentioning these concluded by saying that he thought the bull was " rather too high from the ground." Mr. Vanmeter, looking up at the towering Indianian, said: " Well, sir, I think you are the last man on the ground that should find that objection to the bull." * At this same sale Hon. B J Clay and Mr Hutchcraft paid $1,830 for the bull Exception (374«), which Mr Bedford considered the best "Seventeen" he ever saw. Indeed, upon being asked in his later years how Exception would compare with the best Short-horns of the present, he answered.- "Well, sir, .1 should have to call him a good bull even now." 294 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. agon of the West out of a daughter of Mr. Dun's imp. Red Rose by Ernesty), produced the prolific white heifer California, from which, by the use of such bulls as D'Otley 432, King Cyrus 609, etc., Mr. Bedford bred his afterward celebrated family of Brides. About 1853 he bought three females descended from Abram Renick's imp. Harriet; and about the same time, in connection with Messrs. Clay and Dun- can, purchased the imported bull Diamond at the Northern Kentucky Co.'s sale at $6,000. This proved an unfortunate investment, as Dia- mond failed to breed. The red bull King Cyrus, bought of Mr. Renick, was sired by Ren- ick 903 out of a granddaughter of imp. Har- riet, and proved a remarkable stock-getter.* In 1854 Mr. Bedford and Abram Renick had bargained, at the United States Cattle Show in *In connection with the illustration of King Cyrus, which appears at page 106, Vol. II, of the American Herd Book, a good story is told. If the reader will look at this picture, it will be seen that just behind the bull's fore legs and above his back are the faint outlines of another picture which has been practically obliterated by the engraver. The other picture was that of a negro herdsman who had been in Mr. Bedford's employ for many years. King Cyrus, when being shown, had a habit of " humping " his back, and the colored herdsman upon such occasions would Invariably be found busy with his cloth rubbing him down, as strangers would suppose. In reality he was pincl.ing the bull's back to keep it straight. Mr. Page went to Mr. Bedford's to sketch the bull. In showing the drawing to certain other breeders one of the party, with a view toward a little fun, said: " The picture is all right, but it would be much improved if you would sketch the ' darky,' who always shows him, with his hand on the bull's back." Page thought this would make a good background and sketched in the picture of the herdsman. After the picture was engraved and sent to Mr. Bedford he of course took great offense at what had been done, and when Page found there was something wrong lie " squared " himself as best he could by having the herdsman's figure obliterated. He drew no more pictures, how- ever, for George M. Bedford. SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 295 Ohio, with Messrs. Coulter for the imported Booth bull Warrior (12287), but for some rea- son the sale failed to go through. The incident is of interest as illustrating the fact that at that date the great Kentucky breeders had not acquired that fondness for Bates blood that afterward characterized their breeding opera- tions. At the time the Duke of Airdrie was hired by Mr. Bedford he owned a small herd of Har- riets, Brides, Britannias and the cow Goodness 3d, by Senator 2d. The cow last named dropped 'to the Duke of Airdrie the 1st and 2d Duch- esses of Goodness, from which Mr. Bedford bred his remarkable family of that name. Mr. Bedford was considered one of the best judges not only of breeding cattle but of steers (of which he fed a large number in his time), and it may be remarked in passing that he consid- ered imp. Goodness (of Mason blood) of the Northern Kentucky Co.'s importation of 1853 as the best cow of that famous importation, although Mazurka outsold her by $1,000. He was so delighted with the Duke of Airdrie'sget that he afterward purchased from Mr. Alexan- der the first bull calf sired by the Duke at Wooclburn — Bell Duke of Airdrie 2552, out of Lady Bell by 2d Duke of Athol. Bell Duke of Airdrie had a remarkable career in the show- ring, winning, among other notable prizes, the 296 A HISTORY OF SHORT-JJORN CATTLE. $1,000 sweepstake at £i JMOofc in 1858 and the championship at same show in 1860. The Har- riet cow Atossa, by King Cyrus, to a service by the imported Duke dropped Grand Duke 2933, that was also a St. Louis winner as a two-year- old. Mr. Bedford was a man of very decided con- victions and prejudices and was not always consistent. He became a great opponent of the "Seventeeris" and found fault with the breeding of some of the Louans. At the same time his own cattle of that family had the cross of Dun's imp. Red Rose by Ernesty; while his beautiful Brides and his Zoras went direct to Rose by Skipton. It was largely on account of Mr. Bedford's caustic criticism of these other strains that the late Mr. Parks of Glen Flora (Illinois) raised the question of the purity of the breeding of the Dun importation — a strik- ing exemplification of the fact that people who occupy glass houses should not throw stones at their neighbors' roofs. George M. Bedford was an eminently successful producer of good cat- tle, but the love of Bates blood engendered by his successful use of the Duke of Airdrie and his sons finally drew him into unfortunate pedigree speculations in that line of breeding. Jere Duncan and Duke of Airdrie 2743.— Prominent among the great bulls sired by imp. Duke of Airdrie while at Mr. Bedford's was Maj. SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 297 Jere Duncan's Duke of Airdrie 2743. Duncan was the originator of a family of cattle known as the Louans, that played a prominent part in Ohio, Kentucky and Western breeding herds and show-rings for many years, gaining many championship prizes and commanding great prices. The original cow of that name was bred by Georgo H. Williams and was sired by imp. Otley (4632). She produced eight calves, including the famous show bull Perfection 810, sold to E. G. Bedford. In Duncan's hands was another family of Powel origin known as the Rubys. Both sorts were bred to such bulls as D'Otley 432, Prince Albert 2d 857 and Sir Al- fred 969, and one of the Ruby cows, bred to the latter, produced the famous prize cow Nannie Williams. Her sire, Sir Alfred, was one of the noted bulls of his time, and was bred by Dr. Kinnaird of Fayette Co., from Paragon of the West (4649) and the handsome and prolific Red Rose (by Ernesty) cow Mira. He was sold when about two years old to Messrs. Bedford of Bour- bon County, and was described as a light roan, with straight top and bottom lines, good head, smooth shoulders, fine heart-girth, broad ribs, good flank and level quarters. He sired many valuable cattle while in Bourbon County, in- cluding Mr. Bedford's cow California, already mentioned, but owes his fame largely to Nan- nie Williams. Sir Alfred was owned for a time 298 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. by James S. Duncan, son of Maj. Duncan, but becoming "breechy" was given to a relative in Tennessee and died while en route to that State. Duke of Alrdrie 2743, dropped by Nannie Wil- liams in February, 1858, to a service by imp. Duke of Airdrie, proved a first-class show bull, winning a championship as a two-year-old at the Bourbon County Fair in 1860. He was sec- ond at the Ohio State Fair the same year and second at the United States Fair as well. As a three-year-old he swept the decks at the Fay- ette, Bourbon and Harrison Co. (Ky.) Fairs, and in 1863 was first-prize and champion bull at the Kentucky State Show. In 1866, at eight years of age, he won first prize as the best aged bull at the Bourbon County Fair. One of his sons, Duncan's Airdrie 5615, a Louan, was a first-prize and champion bull at the leading Kentucky and Ohio shows from 1865 to 1873 ; but as a sire Dun- can's Duke was specially distinguished as a heifer-getter, fairly making the reputation of the Louans; specimens of which for many years were great prize-winners at leading shows. He was the bull to which Mr. Warfield bred Miss Wiley 4th, securing from that service the great show cow London Duchess 2d. Abram Renick and Airdrie 2478. — None profited more largely by the services of imp. Duke of Airdrie than Mr. Abram Kenick, who sent his Rose of Sharon show cow Duchess, by SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 299 Buena Vista 299, to be bred to the Woodburn Duke. The issue was the celebrated Airdrie 2478 — the bull that made the reputation of Mr. Renick and hi's Rose of Sharon tribe. Abram Renick, who was of the same family as the Ohio Renicks, had been a member of the original Ohio Importing Co., and bred Short- horns for a number of years in connection with his brother James. They owned imp. Harriet, imp. Illustrious and imp. Josephine, and had bought in Ohio the heifer Thames, by Shake- speare 961 out of Lady of the Lake, daughter of imp. Rose of Sharon by Belvedere — for which cow Mr. Renick paid Mr. Bates in England $700. From Thames descended the entire Renick Rose of Sharon family. The blood of these Ohio cows was more or less intermingled during the ear- lier years of Mr. Renick's breeding. That of imp. Illustrious was utilized through the me- dium of such bulls as Young Comet Halley 1134 and Ashland 220; the Harriet blood through Pilot 817, and that of imp. Josephine through Buena Vista 299, the inbred Josephine Renick 903 and General Winfield Scott 530. Rose of Sharon's blood came in not only through her granddaughter Thames but in the bull line through the imported cow's only sonr Paragon of the West (4649). Thames had been bred in 1845 and 1846 to Prince Charles 2d 861, tracing to imp. Blossom by Fitz Favorite (1042). 300 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. The progeny in the one case was the heifer Red Rose and in the other the heifer Dorothy. Red Rose, bred to Ashland, produced the roan Poppy in 18499 and she in turn, bred to Renick 903, gave birth in 1853 to the light roan heifer Norah. Red Rose, bred to Buena yista,* pro- duced in 1850 the red-and-white heifer Duch- ess, that afterward became the dam of Airdrie 2478. A few cows were also bred to the Tan- queray bull John o' Gaunt (11621), imported into Bourbon County by Mr. Matson in 1852. To a service by this bull Duchess produced in 1853 the heifer Ophelia. These cows were among the noted matrons of the Rose of Sha- ron family in the Renick herd. Airdrie 2478 was a red, with little white, of only medium size. In good thrifty breeding condition he weighed about 1,900 Ibs. at full maturity. He was repeatedly shown by Mr. Renick, but was never made fat enough to weigh more than 2,100 Ibs., although he could have been made to carry 2,200 Ibs. in excess- ively high flesh. He was very symmetrical in conformation; smooth, neat arid stylish, with no serious faults. Airdrie may safely be listed as one of America's greatest progenitors of valuable Short-horns; imparting finish and * Buena Vista's sire was the grand bull Cossack, alias Julius Caesar (3503), bred by Mr. Clay and sold to B. Warfleld. Cossack (3503) was by Cos, sack (1880), bred by Richard Booth at Studley from the old Killerby Moss Rose tribe. SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 301 quality with a rare degree of uniformity to his progeny. Like his sire, the imported Duke, he was more impressive as a stock-getter than as an individual animal. Duncan's Duke of Airdrie, as already noted, proved a won- derful heifer-getter, but Airdrie 2478 gained lasting fame as a sire of bulls. He was used by Mr. Renick for a period of about twelve years to the fullest possible extent, the only limit to his service in the herd being placed upon his own daughters, some of which were afterward bred with success to the 13th Duke of Airdrie 5535; the splendid cow Poppy 5th being thus produced. For several generations none but sons and grandsons of Airdrie or imp. Duke of Airdrie were kept in service. Airdrie a bull -breeder. — Among Airdrie's greatest sons may be mentioned Sweepstakes 6230, afterward famous in the show herd of Mr. Pickrell of Illinois; Joe Johnson 10294; the in- bred Airdrie 3d 13320 out of Duchess 2d by Pi- lot— all Rose of Sharons; and Van meter's Dick Taylor 5508 and Airdrie Duke 5306; both great hoifer-rjootcrs, out of the Young Phyllis cows Ruth and Ruth 2d. Sweepstakes' remarkable career in the West will be noticed further on. Joe Johnson was almost a fac simile of Sweep- stakes, the only difference being that the for- mer was rather a finer bull. They were both exceedingly successful in the show-yard. Joe 302 A HISTORY OF SHOUT-HORN CATTLE. Johnson once gained a champion prize at the Bourbon County Fair, with something over twenty bulls in the ring, probably as good a lot as were ever shown at one time in the State.* About the only objection that was urged against either of these bulls was their color. The "craze" for red cattle was already setting in, and both Sweepstakes and Joe Johnson had too much white to suit the public taste. They had white spots to the extent of perhaps one- fourth of their entire color. Airdrie 3d was quite a successful show bull also. Had he been as perfect behind as he was in front he would have been fairly invincible. At one time bulls sired by Airdrie were gaining prizes at all of the best fairs of Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri and Illinois almost without defeat. Inbreeding of the Rose of Sharons. — Mr. Renick was so pleased with the results of Air- drie's use that he adopted a comprehensive course of in-and-in breeding, using the sons and grandsons of the bull for many years with great success, attracting the attention of the entire cattle-breeding world. John Thornton, the veteran Short-horn salesman of England, * Joe Johnson was a successful prize-taker in Kentucky, and also stood at the head of the $300 prize herd, composed wholly of Rose of Sharons, at the Ohio State Fair of 1870. He was the sire— among other high-priced cat- tle—of the heifer Duchess 10th, sold in 1872 to Earl Dunmore at $5,000. He represented a double cross of imp. Duke of Aird^ie, having been sired by Airdrie 2478 out of Cordelia by Dandy Duke 2691. The latter was a red-roan bull Mr. Renick had secured by breeding Easterday (daughter of Poppy) bv Pilot 817, to imp. Duke of Airdrie (12730) SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 303 who visited America after the Airdrie blood had been thoroughly concentrated in the Renick herd, said: " I saw the bull Airdrie, rising thirteen years old, a magnificent animal, not too large but exceedingly symmetrical, stylish and handsome, with a splendid head and fine masculine character. The cows and heifers were called from the fields by a lot of negroes —men, wonien and children— and it was wonderful to observe the singular uniformity and great excellence of the cattle as they walked past to a corner of the field where they stood to be milked. The heifers, mostly by Airdrie, were splendid animals, combining great length, elegance and sweetness of character with rich full colors, roan or red hair, good form and great substance. Some of the older cows were thinner and slightly lame., owing, as it was said, to the thick cornstalks fastening in their hoofs. The calves were also good, and two or three young bulls were of great prom- ise. Seeing how very superior this herd 'was and how closely it was in-and-in bred I was induced to ask Mr. Renick how he came to take sucn a course. He told me he took up the herd books and saw what Colling, Mason and other early breeders had done, and he thought he would do the same thing; his neighbors thought he would i*uin his stock, but he thought that he had got quite as good as any of them." At the time of Mr. Thornton's visit (1869) every animal in the herd was of Mr. Renick's own breeding. Not only that, but their dams, grandams, great-grandams and even great- great-grandams had been bred on the farm- certainly a fact unique in the history of Short- horn breeding in the United States. For years he declined to part with any Rose of Sharon females at any valuation, but latterly high prices tempted him to do so. He has generally been regarded as one of the greatest construc- tive breeders ever identified with Short-horn breeding in America. A disciple of Thomas 304 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Bates, and like that famous breeder without immediate family, Mr. Renick was thoroughly devoted to his cattle and made them the sub- ject of his most untiring personal attention.* He was always partial to the golden-skinned yellow-reds, and insisted that Short-horns of that color were invariably better feeders and possessed more quality than the dark reds, in which contention he had the unanimous acqui- escence of the most experienced breeders. Of his subsequent purchase and use of the 4th Duke of Geneva we shall have occasion to speak elsewhere. The mingling of the Duchess blood with that of the Rose of Sharons, thus, reunit- ing the Bates lines, proved in this case a suc- * Visitors at shows where Mr. Renick was exhibiting his cattle were very apt to find him feeding- or currying his stock with his own hands. He was particularly wrapped up in old Airdrie, and upon such occasions would usually be found near him. Perhaps the best show Mr. Renick ever made was the year that the Kentucky State Fair was held in Bourbon County. He had an exhibit in nearly every ring and never came out without a ribbon, usually a blue one. In some classes he gained both first and second. One of the best exhibits he made at this show was for a prize for bull with five or six of his get. He had taken Airdrie up out of the pasture without prep- aration, and with him and his progeny won the group prize over a number of competitors. Airdrie was then eight or nine years old. Speaking of this event Mr. Ben F. Vanmeter says: "I do not think I ever saw Mr. Renick enjoy a day more than he did this one. As he came out of the ring leading old Airdrie a gentleman from Ohio sent an intimate friend of Uncle Abe's to me with a request that I go with him to see if we could not get a price on the old bull. I told him it was a waste of time, but he insisted and we went. We readily found Mr. Renick, and my friend Taylor lost no time in broaching the subject. The old man was at first al most ready to take it as an insult. Then he suspected us of playing a jeke on him. Taylor finally tolcl him that he considered the bull nearly worn out, but was satisfied that his Ohio friend would give $1,000 for him. The old man then straightened himself up two or three inches above his nor- mal height and with his fist tightly closed and eyes flashing exclaimed; " A national bank can't buy him! If I outlive him he will die mine." SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 305 cessful operation; a fine illustration being seen in the case of the celebrated pair of "Genevas," Minnie's Duchess* of Geneva and Poppy's Duch- ess of Geneva, familiarly known as "Big Gen- eva" and "Little Geneva," sired by 2d Duke of Geneva.* These fine cows had a remarkable show-yard career, "Little Geneva" usually winning the blue ribbon and her larger sister the red whenever exhibited. They rarely low- ered their colors in any company. The Vanmeters.— The State of Kentucky was fortunate in possessing distinguished fam- ilies of Short-horn breeders who, like the Messrs. Booth in England, displayed an heredi- tary love for the cattle and for several succeed- ing generations bred Short-horns with a high degree of skill and intelligence. We have already noted the prominent part played by Messrs. George, Felix and Abram Kenick and may now mention the Vanmeters as worthy of rank among those who contributed most to the extension of Short-horn breeding in the West. To them the West is indebted for the Young Marys and Young Phyllises to be found in al- most every good herd. About the year 1817 Mr. Isaac Vanmeter, who was a native of Hardy Co., Va. — in the valley *2d Duke of Geneva 55C2 was bred by J. O. Sheldon and bought by Edwin Bedford, whose success with the London Duchesses, etc., gave him rank among the leading Kentucky breeders of his time. The 2d Duke died young-, leaving1 a limited number of calves, but they were as a rule excep- tionally good. 306 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. of the South Branch of the Potomac — emi- grated to Kentucky and soon afterward mar- ried a daughter of Capt. Isaac Cunningham, another Virginian who had purchased, early in the present century, the farm and some of the stock of Mr. Matthew Patton, who had intro- duced the Gough & Miller blood into Kentucky. The elder Vanmeter and Capt. Cunningham formed a partnership for the purpose of carry- ing on farming and cattle-breeding operations in Clark Co., Ky., and in 1834 they took stock in the newly-organized Ohio Importing Co., ac- quiring from that company's selections imp. Young Mary, with heifer calf Pocahontas; imp. Young Phyllis, with heifer calf Catherine Tur- ley, and imp. Lavinia, together with the bull Goldfinder (2066). Capt. Cunningham also pur- chased an interest in imp. Matchem (2283). Prior to this time Messrs. Vanmeter & Cun- ningham had bred for some twenty years a large herd principally descended from the orig- inal Patton stock, upon which had been used, among others, the noted bull Rising Sun.* La- * Capt Cunningham died in 1842, making1 the sons of his daughter, Mrs. Solomon Vanmeter, executors of a good estate, Mr. Isaac Vanmeter died in 18i4, leaving1 his son, Ben F. Vanmeter, then but twenty-one years of age, sole executor of an estate quite as large as that left by Capt. Cunningham. Mr. Ben P. Vanmeter's elder brother, Solomon, who died at forty years of age, proved himself also a most capable breeder and when the Northern Kentucky Importing Co. was organized in 1853 he was selected as Clark County's representative upon the committee sent to England to buy the cattle constituting that memorable purchase, Ben F, Vanmeter was a mere lad at this date attending college at Danville, Ky, Learning of the proposed expedition to England after cattle, he pleaded earnestly to be SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 307 vinia, after producing a bull calf, died, but Young Phyllis and Young Mary proved among the most useful cows of the breed ever brought to America. As in the case of the Renick herd, the blending of the blood of these Ohio Co. cows with that of imp. Duke of Airdrie re- sulted in the production of an excellent class of cattle. Young Phyllis. — This cow ranked as one of the best of her day in America. In fact she has repeatedly been called the best of all Short- horn cows of her time owned in the State of Kentucky. Unfortunately she died young, leav- ing but three or four calves. She produced, be- sides Catherine Turley, a heifer named Eliza Woods, by Matchem, and the prize bull John Randolph 603, by Goldfinder. Eliza Woods was rather disappointing as an individual, although some excellent cattle descended from her. Her sire, Matchem, was a large, stylish bull ; rather coarse in his conformation and of a vicious dis- position. Quite a number of his get were un- popular on account of their dark-colored noses. Catherine Turley is said to have been a cow of fine character. She was much inclined to make allowed to leave school and accompany the committee. He was given the choice of either gx>in?* or remaining1 and graduating- that spring. Without hesitation he abandoned his aspirations in reference to a diploma and accompanied his brother upon a tour of the Short-horn herds of Great Britain. In later years he attained international reputation not only aa a breeder of high-class cattle of the Vanmeter tribes, but also in connection with the notable operations of Abrar-i Renick with the Rose of Sharons. 308 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. flesh and unfortunately was allowed to become so fat that she stopped breeding. From her de- scended such famous bulls as Dick Taylor 5508, Airdrie Duke 5306, Clarendon 2634, Mr. Pick- rell's $3,000 Baron Lewis and many other old- time celebrities. Dick Taylor 5508 was one of the best stock- getters produced by the Phyllis family. He was a red, bred by Dr. J. J. Taylor and Abram Vanmeter, and represented a peculiarly rich combination of the best blood introduced into the Ohio Valley up to the time of his produc- tion in 1863. Sired by the Duke of Airdrie- crossed Rose of Sharon bull Airdrie 2478, he had for darn Ruth by the $4,850 bull imp. Chal- lenger (14252); second dam Maria Edgeworth by Arthur Watts' Prince Albert 2d 857, carry- ing much of the best of the Ohio Importing Co.'s blood; and his third dam, Susan Turley, was by Cossack (3503), son of the richly-bred Booth bull Cossack (1880), that will be remem- bered as the sire of Abram Renick's Buena Vista 299. Dick Taylor proved particularly suc- cessful when mated with the descendants of imp. Young Mary. Indeed one branch of that tribe became so celebrated throughout the West that it was given (and still bears) his name. He was repeatedly shown with success, and upon one occasion gained a $100 sweepstake against several of the most noted sires of the day for SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 309 best five calves the get of one bull. We can- not in the space at our command make detailed reference to the many distinguished animals sired by Dick Taylor. We should, however, per- haps mention his two sons, Washington 9284 and Dick Taylor 2d 16637, bred by the Messrs. Sudduth. The former belonged to the Leslie branch of the Marys, tracing from the show cow Hannah More, and won a great many first and sweepstakes prizes at the Kentucky shows from 1869 to 1871. Dick Taylor 2d, a few years later, was one of the ruling show-yard champions of Kentucky and was sold for $1,100. Airdrie Duke 5306, like Dick Taylor, was a red son of Mr. Renick's Airdrie 2478. His dam, the Phyllis cow Ruth 2d, was by Mr. Alexander's famous prize bull exp. 2d Duke of Airdrie 2744, so that he represented a double cross of the Air- drie-Duchess blood. Airdrie Duke was bred by Abram Vanmefcer, and was one of the great heifer-getters of Kentucky in the later sixties. Like Dick Taylor, he made a pronounced "hit" when mated with the Marys. His greatest daughter was probably Ben F. Vanmeter's re- nowned Young Mary show cow Red Rose 8th, the best Short-horn cow Mr. Vanmeter ever bred. Another celebrated show cow got by Air- drie Duke was the roan Phoebe Taylor of the Pomona family, that gained prizes all over the Western country from 1871 to 1874 in the herd 310 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. of J. H. Kissinger. He was also sire of the Mary cow Miss Washington 2d, that sold for $1,000, whose daughter by 4th Duke of Geneva brought a like price, and of the $3,200 Poppy's Julia and the $2,000 Princess cow Princessa 2d. Another branch of the Phyllis tribe that ac- quired high repute in Kentucky was bred by John W. Prewitt of Clark County from the roan cow Gentle Annie, by imp. Challenger (14252), that was bought by Mr. Prewitt at the admin- istrator's sale of the Solomon Vanmeter cattle in 1859. She was a granddaughter of Susan Turley. Young Phyllis was of a rich roan color, with neat head, small, crumpled horns, short, neat neck, fine shape and style and a first-class show cow in her day. She was frequently exhibited at the fairs in Kentucky when in her prime and never failed to receive the first prize when in the ring except once, and then she received the second, Although imported for Mr. Har- ness in 1834 at a cost of $1,500, she passed to the possession of Capt. Isaac Cunningham and Mr. Isaac Vanmeter in 1836 and remained the property of the latter until she became barren and was slaughtered. Catherine Turley was begotten in England and calved at Sycamore, in Kentucky, soon after her arrival. Young Mary. — This celebrated cow and her daughter Pocahontas, sold at the Ohio Co.'s SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 311 sale of 1836 to Mr. Harness for $1,500, were bought and taken to Kentucky that same year by Messrs. Vanmeter & Cunningham. Although not a show cow like Young Phyllis, Young Mary was one of the practical, profitable sort that often do more for their owners than ani- mals of show-yard character. She is described as having been a large cow of striking appear- ance, a light roan in color with some white, especially on her legs. Her horns, which were inclined to be "crumpled," were rather strong and well carried out from her head, which was broad and well shaped, with a good full eye. Her neck was rather thin, shoulders smooth, back broad, rib deep, udder large and good. In fact she was an extraordinary milker — one of the best dairy cows ever owned in the Van- meter herds. She was a remarkably prolific breeder, and during the first month or six weeks after calving (if on grass) could be de- pended upon to yield a large pailful of milk morning and evening after the calf had drawn its fill. Unfortunately Isaac Vanmeter's pri- vate herd records were lost or destroyed during the Civil War, but it is a commonly-accepted fact that Young Mary lived to be about twenty years old and died after having given birth to her sixteenth calf. She produced but four bulls; two of them— Davy Crockett and Logan — were dropped while 312 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. she was in the possession of the Ohio Co. The former was purchased by Mr. P. L. Ayres of Ohio for $490 for use upon unrecorded stock. Logan was bought by Elias Florence of Ohio for $750. In Kentucky Young Mary produced a red-and-white bull calf named Romulus, by Matchem (2283), that was sold while young to Mr. James Stonestreet of Clark County, in whose hands he was bred to but few pure-bred cows. The last calf she ever produced that lived to be useful was the roan bull Tom Big- bee, by Prince Albert 2d, calved in 1848 and sold while young to Mr. Rice Campbell of Bour- bon County. He proved quite a good show bull. Young Mary's female produce after Poca- hontas cannot now be named in the order of their respective ages. Her next calf was the bull Romulus above mentioned, and then fol- lowed five heifer calves by Goldfinder (2066),* to-wit.: Hannah More, Judith Clark, Sarah Hopkins, Lilac and Florida, all of which were very superior and lived to be useful cows. All of these except Sarah Hopkins were owned by Isaac Vanmeter as long as he or they lived. Sarah Hopkins was given to Mr. Vanmeter's *Imp. Goldfinder (2066) was taken to Kentucky in 1836 and was success- fully used for many years, largely in Clark and Fayette Counties, although he died the property of Joel Scott in Franklin County. Few better sires were known at that time. He was a large, rich roan, light-bodied and somer what leggy, high-styled and Impressive. SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 313 son, I. C. Vanmeter, who sold her after a few years to George W. Button of Fayette County. The records do not reveal further facts of interest concerning Young Mary's progeny. All that is known is that she was a regular breeder of good stock and lived to an extreme age. The great family of Young Marys, still so popular throughout the United States, has descended from the Goldfinder heifers and Pocahontas above mentioned. Probably the best individual of all of Young Mary's daughters was Hannah More. She was exhibited at all of the leading Kentucky shows and was, we believe, never de- feated. Her sisters were almost as good, but Hannah More and Pocahontas, in particular, like their Phyllis companion Catherine Tur- ley, proved mines of wealth to Kentucky, and the West. Pocahontas gave rise to the famous Red Rose and Hannah More to the Beck Tay- lor, Leslie and Flat Creek branches of the Mary tribe. Judith Clark also left a valuable prog- eny, among her descendants being the Grace Youngs, once so prolific of good show cattle in the West, and the Leopardess family, which gave to the show-yard Lucy Napier. The suc- cess of the blending of the Mary and Phyllis bloods in the hands of Messrs. Vanmeter was instantaneous. Bred to John Randolph 603, son of imp. Young Phyllis, Hannah More had a daughter — Queen Anne — that produced to . A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. the cover of Prince Albert 2d 857 the bull Al- bert Gallatin 202. Randolph and Gallatin did some of the local shows in company and car- ried many ribbons; the older. (Phyllis) usually securing first honors and the Mary second. Ben F. Vanmeter gave the Marys interna- tional fame. From his father's red-roan Red Rose, by Pearl 2012*, he bred the celebrated family of Red Roses; and by mating the Han- nah More cow Beck with the Phyllis show bull Dick Taylor he bred the red Beck Taylor, the matron of a family of that name still popular in the West. Probably the best two cows ever produced in his herd were Red Roses 8th and llth, own sisters by the Phyllis bull Airdrie Duke 5306. The Airdrie Duchess blood was by this time producing remarkable results in all the leading Kentucky herds, and when the Renick, Vanmeter, Warfield and Bedford cows carrying the Bates cross met at the local shows there was " war to the knife." Upon one mem- orable occasion Mr. Ben. Vanmeter with Red Roses 8th and llth encountered one of the greatest cow combinations Kentucky had ever seen, meeting Mr. Renick's pets, " Little" and "Big" Genevas, two of Edwin G. Bedford's Lou- * Pearl was a red bull bred by Solomon Vanmeter that became the prop- erty of Robert S. Taylor of Clark County. He was got by Vanmeter, Dun- can & Cunningham's imported $4,850 bull Challenger (14252) from the im- ported cow Gem by Earl Ducie's Broker (9993), got by Usurer (9763). Pearl's grandam was Gulnare, by Whitaker's Norfolk (2377), and his great-grandam was the Booth-bred Medora by Ambo (1(536). SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 315 don Duchesses, besides one of the best of that family ever produced by Mr. Warfield^and three or four imported cows. In the cow class Red Rose llth won, but in the sweepstakes Red Rose 8th gained the prize.* She was af- terward champion Short-horn cow at the Phila- delphia Centennial and subsequently sold to the Grooms for $1,750 and exported to England. Her companion at this show, Red Rose llth, sold to Mr. Fox of England at $2,325 was the only cow that ever defeated Red Rose 8th. Mr. Vanmeter, however, never considered her so good. This cow was the dam of the famous roan Young Mary steer that was the champion four-year-old bullock at the first American Fat- Stock Show at Chicago; a beast that weighed 2,440 Ibs. and sold to the late John B. Drake of the Grand Pacific Hotel for $150 for Christmas beef. An own brother to Red Rose 8th and llth, the bull Rosy Man 27764, was also a prize- winner at Kentucky shows. Ben F. Vanmeter sustained close relations with Mr. Renick and in later years became identified with the Rose of Sharon interest, further reference to which will presently be made. It may be remarked in passing that the two prize-winning Young Mary bulls Wash- * After the ribbon was tied on Bed Rose 8th Mr. Vanmeter asked Mr. Renick what he thought of it The old man was very slow in making his reply, but finally said: **! reckon it is all right. She is a devil of a good one." 316 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. ington 9284 and Dick Taylor 2d 16637— both by Dick Taylor 5508 and both bred by Messrs. Sud- duth of Clark County — were of Vanmeter stock, the former being of the Leslie branch and the latter coming through Judith Clark, own sister to Hannah More. Dick Taylor 2d won a cham- pionship at a Bourbon County fair in a ring of thirty entries. We may also add here that the bull Seaton 4356, bred by Solomon Vanmeter, appearing in certain pedigrees of cattle of Ken- tucky origin, represented a cross of Mr. Alex- ander's imp. Orontes 2d upon a daughter of the imported Wilkinson-bred cow Lavender 3d, that was of the same foundation as the Cruick- shank Lavenders. The Warfields.— The city of Lexington, the blue-grass capital, is situated in the fertile county of Fayette, which, in connection with the adjacent counties of Clark and Bourbon, had from the earliest periods constituted the headquarters of the breed south of the Ohio River. The name of Warfield is so intimately and honorably identified with the cattle-breed- ing interest, not only of Fayette and contiguous counties but of the entire West, that no his- tory of Short-horns in America would be com- plete without some reference to the services rendered by those of this name. The Warfields are descended from Richard Warfield, who in 1663 settled in the Puritan SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 317 colony of Anne Arundel Co., near Annapolis, Md. In October, 1790, Elisha Warfield and his wife, Ruth Burgess (descended from Gen. Wil- liam Burgess, who commanded the troops of the colony of Maryland in the latter part of the seventeenth century), removed to Fayette Co., Ky., from Anne Arundel Co., Md., bringing with them their sons, Elisha, born in 1781, and Ben- jamin, born Feb. 8, 1790. They settled about seven miles east of Lexington, near Bryan's Station. Benjamin Warfield began to breed cattle in 1824, but had no pure-bred Short-horns until 1831. He practiced law until the outbreak of the war of 1812, and again until 1831; mean- time purchasing the farm of Grasmere, near Lexington. His brother, Dr. Elisha Warfield, also engaged in stock-breeding, but gave more attention to the Thoroughbred horse than to cattle; breeding old Lexington and other celeb- rities of the turf. The former became the owner of Mrs. Motte's bull Partnership (6277) and of the Durham Cow's daughter Lady Durham, by San Martin (2599). The latter owned the Teeswater Cow's bull Mirandi (4428), by San Martin, and Messrs. Smith & Warfield bought the Teeswater Cow's daughter Pink, by Munday's Bull 727.* At a later date, when * The " Seventeens " were brought by Col. Sanders to Fayette, and Mrs Motte and the Teeswater Cow were retained there, the property of Messrs, Munday and Hag-grin, respectively. The Durham Cow was taken by the Importer to Gallatin County. See page 173. 318 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. the Kentuckians were availing themselves of the stock imported by Col. John H. Powel of Pennsylvania, Messrs. Warfield were fortunate enough to secure the hull Oliver (2387)*, that proved a remarkably successful stock-getter — undoubtedly the best of all the Powel bulls brought West. Capt. Ben Warfield became part owner of the Ohio Co. bulls Matchem (2283) and Goldfinder (2066), and also had some service from imp. Prince Charles (2461). Prob- ably none of the earlier Warfield bulls, however, proved more successful than the famous roan Cossack, alias Julius Caesar (3503), dropped the property of Mr. Clay by the imported cow Moss Rose, by Eclipse (1949), brought out from Eng- land by H. Clay Jr. and Gen. James Shelby of Fayette County in 1839. This bull had for sire the Booth-bred Cossack (1880), and his blood was for many years to be found in some of the best Short-horns in leading Kentucky herds. Renick 903. — This great Kentucky sire, bred by James Renick and sired by Tippecanoe 1036 * No less than twenty-two bulls and thirty-two cows of Col. John Hare Powel's breeding or importation were taken to Kentucky— largely between 1831 and 1830. While Oliver (2387) was undoubtedly the best of these Powel bulls, the outstanding1 cow acquired by Kentucky from the Powelton Herd was the Booth-bred Isabella, by Pilot (see page 185). She was probably the most celebrated cow of her day in the Ohio Valley States, and at the sale of her produce by her owner, Mr Sutton of Fayette County, Sept. 26, 1837. her son Frederick 515 sold to Buford A Scott of Franklin County for $1,310; her heifer Western Daisy went to Joel Scott at $745; heifer White Rose to James Shelby of Fayette County at $735, and biill Cyrus to E. S. Washington of Fayette County at $81*", Another daughter of Cleopatra, Sally Jackson, was sold privately to /. S. Berryman & Co. for $2,000! SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 319 out of a daughter of imp. Josephine, was bought by Capt. Warfield as a six-months calf. He was begotten in Ohio, and although his sire and dam were both descended from imp. Josephine* by Norfolk he was not specially promising as a calf and was by no means satisfying as a year- ling. For this reason he was sent to Dr. Breck- enridge for a year of trial. As soon as his calves began to come, however, all doubt as to Ren- ick's value disappeared and he was freely used with extraordinary success. He was a red with a long and level carcass, well-sprung ribs and superior handling qualities. He stood some- what high on the leg, and was not in fact what would be considered a real show bull. He was often exhibited, but his success lay in his prog- eny rather than in his own individuality. He therefore furnishes an instance — along with Goldfinder (2066) and imp. Duke of Airdrie— where a plain bull proved to be a stock-getter of unquestioned capacity. Renick soon ac- quired reputation as the best sire of his time in Kentucky. Of the show cows among his * Josephine was a fine show cow ; proving1 a successful prize-winner at the Ohio fairs. She produced in 1838 a roan cow calf named Nonpareil, by Comet Halley (1855). In 1839— bull calf Hubback, by Paragon of the West (4649). In 1840— bull calf Tippecanoe, by Rover (5015). In 1841— cow calf Lady Harrison, red-and-white, by Rover (5015). She then produced twin bull calves, neither of which lived to be useful, after which she ceased breeding— was fatted and slaughtered. Nonpareil and Lady Harrison, the female produce above mentioned, were sent by Mr. Felix Renick to his son- in-law, Mr. James Renick of Bourbon Co., Ky., to breed on shares In some way, but the latter finally became the owner of the stock. 320 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. progeny perhaps the most distinguished were the light roan Tulip and the roan Fleda, both of these being descended from Capt. Warfield's never-beaten show cow Caroline. The former was sold to Capt, James N. Brown and the lat- ter to J. D, Smith, both of Sangamon Co., 111., and for many years they divided the verdicts of Western show-yard juries. Indeed the late Capt. Brown considered that Tulip was a vastly better cow than Capt. Warfield's celebrated Mary Magdalene, that had been bred by Abram Renick from a Harriet dam from a service by Renick 903. Mary Magdalene combined aston- ishing substance with rare finish. Although she was of enormous size, weighing in show condition 2,250 Ibs., still an ordinary hand could span her ankle with thumb and fore finger. Lizzie Higgins, the dam of Fleda, invariably produced a show animal to a service by Renick, her heifers Sally Campbell and Pearl and the bull Magyar 677 illustrating this fact. Still another cow that " nicked" well with Renick was Lucy, a descendant of imp. White Rose, by Publicola, that gave to Renick the two great heifers Lucy 2d and Lucy 3d and bulls Francisco 2266 and Duke of Stockdale 1483. That excellent old cow Cherry 2d, by Don John 426, also pro- duced to Renick a pair of extraordinary calves known as Amy and Sally Smith. Another great Renick heifer was Adah, and we should also SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 321 mention Mr. William Wai-field's Princess and Mr. Kinnaird's Pearl. Muscatoon 7057.— This celebrated sire of prize cattle in the herd of Mr. William Warfield of Grasrnere was one of the fruits of the great herd assembled by Mr. Alexander at Woodburn. He was a red bull, sired by the Bates-bred Royal Oxford (18774) out of Mazurka 2d by Orontes 2d (11877); second dam that famous Lincolnshire roan imp. Mazurka by Harbinger. There is no question as to this cow having been one of the best ever imported. Rich in color, her capital carcass, with its far-famed back and flank, was set off by a head of surpassing sweet- ness. Muscatoon was a red with a perfect head and the full eye of the kindly feeder. He was strongly filled behind the shoulder and had the rib and full lower line of Mazurka joined to the great loin and thighs of Orontes 2d. He was bought by Mr. Warfield as a yearling, and his career at Grasmere both as a show bull and a stock-getter did much to strengthen the rep- utation of the Woodburn stock. Although shown by Mr. Warfield with exceptional suc- cess from 1867 to 1871 his most lasting fame was gained as a getter of extraordinary show and breeding animals. In fact in the rings for best lot of calves the get of one bull he was al- most invincible in the State of Kentucky in the later sixties. The most remarkable feature of 322 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. his service at Grasmere was the uniform excel- lence of his get. They were all good, and some of them attained such outstanding excellence that they were for many years reigning show- yard champions. Among these were the heif- ers Duchess of Sutherland 4th, Maggie Musca- toon, 1st and 2d Ladies of Grasmere and Loudon Duchess 4th. He also sired the Rose of Sharon cow Grace and Louan of Waveland, for which Walter Handy paid respectively $1,000 and $1,150 at a sale of E. L. Davison's. Among the noted stock and show bulls of his get were Lou- don Duke 6th 10399 ; Tycoon 7339, Lord of the Manor 12332 and 2d Duke of Grasmere 13961. He died as the result of an accident in 1873, and it may be said that he shares with the Duke of Airdrie bulls the reputation of having materially advanced the name and fame of the Short-horn breed throughout the entire West- ern country. Indeed rank as a sire of show cattle has been claimed for this Mazurka bull along with such English celebrities as Booth's Crown Prince and Towneley's Frederick. The Loudon Duchesses. — Mr. William War- field has the honor of having originated one of the best tribes of Short-horns yet evolved by the breeders of the United States. We allude to the Loudon Duchesses produced by his skill and intelligence by a judicious utilization of Woodburn blood. The Hon. Frank Key Hunt, £ H d a O $ SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 323 X an able lawyer and a neighbor and kinsman of Mr. Warfield, having expressed a desire for a good Short-horn heifer to grace his spacious lawn, Mr. Warfield purchased for him at a sale held by Mr. R. A. Alexander in 1856 Miss Wiley 4th, sired by 2d Duke of Athol (11376) out of imp. Miss Hudson, at $470, which, we believe, was the highest price of the day. Mr. Warfield was to direct her breeding and was to take each calf at six months of age at $300. He believed that as she promised to make a big, large-framed cow good results would follow her mating with the finely-finished imp. Duke of Airdrie (12730). The first calf proved to be the red bull regis- tered as Loudon Duke 3097, whose name was derived from the title of Mr. Hunt's farm. In the meantime Mr. Hunt suggested that Miss Wiley 4th be bred to imp. St. Lawrence (12037), that had been imported by Mr. Thorne of New York and purchased by Elisha Warfield. Mr. William Warfield objected to this cross on the ground of incompatibility of type, but Mr. Hunt insisted upon trying it, releasing Mr. Warfield from any obligation to take the calf if not satisfactory. The experiment was a fail- ure and the bull calf that resulted was steered. The cow was then bred back to imp. Duke of Airdrie, and in 1860 dropped the red heifer Anna Hunt, subsequently sold by Mr. Warfield to Charles M. Clark of Springfield, 0., from 824 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. \ whose hands she passed into the possession of Daniel McMillan of Xenia, becoming the an- cestress of a great family of cows known as the Ladys of Clark. Miss Wiley 4th had by this time grown into a cow of immense scale, w eigh- ing 1,700 Ibs. off grass. The development of London Duke and of Anna Hunt demonstrated that the cross with the fine but rather "rangy" imp. Duke of Airdrie was a success, and she was again sent to be served at Woodburn. This time she dropped the red bull calf Duke of Ed- inburgh 4724 (also known as Loudon Duke 2d), that was sold to a Mr. Woodruff of Indiana. The result of the next service to the imported Duke was the roan bull calf Loudon Duke 3d 10398, sold to Mr. Wilson of Cincinnati and used with success in Ohio herds. In 1863, to imp. Duke of Airdrie, she dropped the red bull Lou- don Duke 4th 5906, sold to Mr. Edwin G. Bed- ford and afterward the property of Mr. D. S. King of Ohio. During this period Mr. Warfield had used the first Loudon Duke with success, finally selling him to Mr. Isaac Vanmeter of Clark Co., Ky. In 1864 Miss Wiley 4th dropped to imp. Duke of Airdrie the red heifer calf destined to fame under the name of Loudon Duchess. The im- ported Duke having meanwhile died, it was decided to breed Mr. Hunt's cow to Duncan's Duke of Airdrie 2743, which Mr. Warfield con- SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK, 325 sidered the imported Duke's best son; and from a service by that bull the red heifer Loudon Duchess 2d was dropped in 1865. In the fall of that year Mr. Warfield had sent a small bunch of cattle for exhibition to the local fairs, included among the number being the yearling Loudon Duchess. The stock was taken to the Bourbon show in Mr. William Warfield's absence in attendance at the Illinois State Fair, which was held the same week, and dur- ing the continuance of these shows the follow- ing telegram was received from Kentucky: "I am offered $500 for your yearling heifer and $250 for your steer; shall I take it?" This re- ferred to Loudon Duchess and a great steer of the Rosabella 24 by Velocipede tribe. In those dull days the prices seemed large, and as Mr. Warfield believed that Loudon Duchess 2d would make a better heifer than her sister by the imported Duke he replied in the affirma- tive, and thus Mr. E. G. Bedford of Bourbon County became the owner of Loudon Duchess, the prize yearling of that season and subse- quently a great prize-taker and dam of win- ners. Loudon Duchess 2d proved to be Miss Wiley 4th's last calf and Mr. Warfield decided not to part with her. These two heifers then embarked upon a show-yard and breeding ca- reer that has probably not been surpassed in this country. 326 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. The Bedford heifer produced one bull and one heifer (Loudon Duchess 3d) to services by The Priest 6246, and one bull (Loudon Duke 7th 10400) and three heifers (Loudon Duchesses 5th, 7th and llth) to services by that capital Bates Duchess sire 2d Duke of Geneva 5562. It had previously been agreed between Mr. War- field and Mr. Bedford that the Loudon Duchess name should be given to the progeny of these cows. To avoid confusion Mr. Bedford was to use the odd numbers and Mr. Warfield the even numbers. Mr. Warfielcl's Loudon Duchess 2d produced ten calves — six bulls and four heifers —three of which were by Muscatoon 7057, two by Robert Napier 8975, one by 5th Duke of Geneva 7932, one by llth Duke of Geneva, one by 4th Duke of Airdrio, one by 14th Duke of Thorndale and one by 2d Duke of Grasmere 13961. Loudon Duchess 4th, one of the Mus- catoon heifers, was considered by Mr. Warfield to be the best female produced by either of the celebrated sisters, and Loudon Duke 6th 10399, afterward so famous in Missouri and the West, was counted the best bull. He was sold to Mr. J. G. Cowan of Missouri for $3,000 in 1872, a great price for that time. We have already alluded to the fact that dur- ing the great expansion of the Short-horn trade following the Civil War a prejudice was unfor- tunately created by interested parties against SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 327 cattle carrying crosses of stock descended from the Walter Dun importation. Inasmuch as Duncan's Duke of Airdrie had such a cross, those who in the later years sought to discredit the Dun importation insisted that the descend- ants of Mr. Bedford's London Duchesses by imp. Duke of Airdrie were more valuable than the descendants of Mr. Warfield's Loudon Duchess 2d. The absurdity of this contention is clearly shown by the fact that, judged by the stringent requirements of the show-yard, Mr. Warfield's Loudon Duchesses were even better individuals than those bred by Mr. Bedford. While Lou- don Duchess gained twelve first prizes, Mr. Warfield's Loudon Duchess 2d won fifty-six, some of them gained at the State fairs of Ohio and Indiana. The female calves of Loudon Duchess won while in the hands of Mr. Bedford five prizes, but Mr. Warfield's Loudon Duchess 4th alone won fourteen and his Loudon Duchess 6th alone won over forty. There was always a friendly rivalry as to the merits of the original cows between Mr. Bedford and Mr. Warfield, but it is self-evident that there was no founda- tion whatever for any assumption of superior value in behalf of the Bedford line of breeding. Mr. Warfield was the first to secure extraordi- nary prices, selling Loudon Duchess 8th to Mr. J. F. Cowan of Virginia for $2,500 and Loudon Duchess 6th to W. H. Richardson of Kentucky 328 A HISTOEY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. for $2,005, the highest-priced female at the auc- tion sales of that year. Mr. Bedford, however, surpassed even these exceptional values at his closing sale of 1874, where seven Loudon Duch- esses averaged $3,521 and two bulls $2,033; one cow (Loudon Duchess 9th) going to Mr. B. F. Bedford at $6,000 and one bull (Loudon Duke 19th) to W. R. Duncan of Illinois for $3,500. A very superior bull produced by Loudon Duch- ess 2d was Mr. E. L. Davison's red Loudon Duke 3d 8542, sired by Muscatoon. This bull should not be confused with Loudon Duke 3d 10398 from Miss Wiley 4th. The latter had been sold into Ohio by Mr. Warfield and passed from no- tice before the Muscatoon bull was assigned a name. There were thus two Loudon Duke 3ds, uncle and nephew. Loudon Duke 3d 8542 was shown extensively from 1868 to 1870 at all of the leading Kentucky fairs, and won many first and championship prizes. Mr. William Warfield steadfastly resisted the dictates of fashion and clung tenaciously to the right of selecting sires of approved form and quality belonging to established tribes with- out reference to the whims and fancies of the speculative element. While on this account he did not profit largely by the great speculative advance that resulted in such enormous prices being paid in subsequent years for certain " line- bred" families, he stood manfully by the best SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 329 traditions of the breed, and has up to the end of the present century consistently advocated the breeding of Short-Jhorns for individual excel- lence from the best sources regardless of par- ticular blood-lines.* Adoption of Bates type and methods. — Imp. Duke of Airdrie was extensively used by Mr. Alexander at Woodburn and sired a large num- ber of good cattle of both sexes in that superb herd. We have already mentioned the prize bull Bell Duke of Airdrie 2522 used by Mr. Bedford. Another noted son was Clifton Duke (23580), that was used by Mr. Alexander upon the Airdrie Duchesses and was also hired by George M. Bedford. He was out of the im- ported Filbert Bell-Bates cow Lady Derby. Another good bull by the old Duke, bred at Woodburn, was Princeton 4285 (from imp. Prin- cess 4th by Revolution), that was sold to Dr. Brecken ridge and left much valuable stock. The Duke of Airdrie heifers at Woodburn, as elsewhere, proved very valuable as breeders. From one of these, Minna 2d — a daughter of imp. Minna by Bridegroom — Mr. Alexander bred the celebrated show bull Minister 6363, * William Warfleld was a son of Capt. Ben Warfleld and became one of the acknowledged authorities on all subjects pertaining to American Short- horn history. A frequent contributor to the Breeder's Gazette and other agri- cultural journals and the author of "A History of Imported Short-horns " und of "Cattle-Breeding"— published by the Sanders Pub. Co., Chicago— he has perhaps done more than any other one man in America to preserve the records of early importations and build up a Short-horn literature in the United States. 330 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. whose career in the hands of William R. Dun- can in Illinois will presently be mentioned. Another noted show bull that served to prove to the minds of Kentucky breeders the efficacy of Duchess blood for crossing purposes at this period was Burnside 4618, a red bred by H. Clay Jr. of Bourbon County, dropped in 1861 by the Duke of Athol (10150) cow imp. Brace- let to a service by Duke John 2741, he a roan bull by imp. Duke of Airdrie (12730) out of the Gwynne cow Lady Sherwood by 5th Duke of York. Burnside was shown with much success and died in November, 1873. While Woodburn made no apparent effort to concentrate the Duke of Airdrie's blood, Abram Renick and George M. Bedford did not hesitate to double it up at every opportunity. Messrs. Vanmeter were also inclined to the belief that the "more of the old Duke's blood the better." The pronounced success of such bulls as Dun- can's Duke 2743, Airdrie 2478, Sweepstakes 6230, Joe Johnson 10294, Airdrie Duke 5306, Dick Taylor 5508 and of the Loudon Duchesses, etc., established thoroughly the popularity of Bates sires in Kentucky; and Mr. Renick's skillful concentration of Airdrie and Rose of Sharon blood rooted the idea firmly in the minds of most of the Kentucky breeders that by a system of in-and-in or line breeding based on the use of Bates bulls the best Short-horns SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 331 were likely to be produced. Pronounced style, good scale, level lines and great finish were cardinal points with those who were most ac- tive in shaping the course of Short-horn breed- ing in the West at this time. These character- istics were secured and thoroughly established largely through the use of the sons, grandsons, daughters and granddaughters of imp. Duke of Airdrie. Such was the general situation, there- fore, at the time when Illinois and other West- ern States began stocking up largely with Short- horns ; the foundation animals for nearly all of the leading Western herds being secured from Kentucky sources. An unbiased and thoroughly capable judge who visited the herds of Kentucky at intervals during this period — the late Simon Beattie of Canada and Annan, Scotland — called the atten- tion of the breeders of that State to the fact that while they were securing a marked uni- formity, fine heads, a beautiful finish and gay carriage by this system of close breeding, they were at the same time sacrificing heavy flesh, substance and hair, and " working their cattle toward a leggy type, thin about their rumps, thighs and hind quarters." In rebuttal of this criticism Mr. Alexander's Mazurkas were cited as a family that had escaped those defects, but the fact was promptly pointed out by Mr. Beat- tie that imp. Mazurka wras by Mr. Booth's Har- 332 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. binger and her dam by Mr. Lax's Baron of Rav- ensworth — both bulls that imparted short legs and thick flesh to nearly all their offspring. Mr. John Thornton, the able English live-stock auctioneer, who visited the States in 1869, ap- parently approved of this observation of Mr. Beattie's in a measure, for he was quoted as say- ing that he regarded the Mazurkas as the most promising foundation for a fine family of cattle of any one sort he had seen in America. CHAPTER XII. PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. From 1857 down to the close of the Civil War in 1865 importations of Short-horns had practically ceased; and during a great portion of that time values ruled so low that there was little encouragement for those engaged in the trade. The financial crash of 1857, with the War of the Rebellion in its train, put a damper upon enterprise in this direction. Kentucky, the active center of Short-horn breeding in America at this time, was a border State be- tween the North and South and was a theater of military operations. A few of the leading breeders, Mr. R. A. Alexander among the num- ber, sent their Short-horns north of the Ohio River for safety, the Woodburn cattle being placed temporarily in the charge of Mr. J. M. Woodruff of Nineveh, Ind. Others drove their pets into their most secluded pastures, hiding them as best they might when the exigencies of the occasion called for special care, and bided their time. With the advent of peace the business entered upon an extraordinary pe- riod of expansion toward the West, to which section we must now direct our attention. 334 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. First Illinois herds. — Virginia carried the Short-horn colors into Ohio and Kentucky, and emigrants from those States in turn bore the banner of the " red, white and roans5' into Indi- ana, Illinois and Missouri, from which vantage grounds the breed ultimately spread through- out the entire West. The earliest introduction of Short- horn blood into Illinois was made by Capt. James N. Brown of Grove Park, Sangamon County; who had previously bred and shown cattle successfully in Kentucky. The herd at Grove Park was founded in 1834. The stock was brought from Kentucky, probably the most noted of the ear- lier members of the herd being the cow Lady McAllister, for which $900 was paid in 1837. In 1852 he bought in Kentucky the cows Beauty and Miss Warfield and the bull Vandal 1065. These were followed two years later by such animals as Margaretta, Bentona, Stella, Sally Campbell, Lulu and Tuscaloosa. In 1856 Capt. Brown bought in Kentucky Queen Victoria, Maude and Orphan 2d. These cattle and others purchased subsequently by Capt. Brown, in common with most of the other stock of that period, carried more or less of the blood of the importation of 1817. In the meantime (in 1854) he had purchased in Ohio the imported bull Young Whittington and the imported cow Picotee and bull calf Buckeye. In 1857 Capt,, PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 335 Brown organized and directed the notable im- portation from England listed on page 276, se- curing for his own herd the $3,025 cow Rachel 3d, the $1,325 roan heifer Western Lady and an interest in the bull King Alfred (14760). The Grove Park Herd was shown with more or less regularity at the Morgan and Sangamon County Fairs until the establishment of ihe Illinois State Fair in 1853 and the St. Louis Fair in 1856. Capt. Brown's brother, Judge William Brown of Jacksonville, was a partner in some of these earlier operations, and Col. G. M. Chambers of Jacksonville was also associated with him in the purchase of stock brought from Ohio. His neighbor and kinsman, Hon. J. D. Smith, also began breeding Short-horns during this period, and at a somewhat later date Judge Stephen Dunlap of Morgan County founded a herd. Prior to 1840 Messrs. E. B. Hitt & Bro. introduced Short-horns into Scott County, and in that same year Messrs. Samuels and Forsythe brought in what was afterward the foundation herd of the Messrs. Dunlap. In 1853 Messrs. Calef and Jacoby shipped some good Short-horns into Il- linois from Kentucky, the latter making a fine exhibit at the first Illinois State Fair. In this connection it may be stated that prior to 1856 Messrs. Calef and Jacoby had acquired and fed 100 head of high-grade Short-horn steers that 336 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. were marketed at an average weight of 1,965 Ibs. — a fact which did much to attract the at- tention of Illinois farmers to the value of the blood. About this same time Mr. B. F. Harris of Champaign County collected a lot of 100 grade steers that were fed to the enormous av- erage weight of 2,377 Ibs. While such weights are not wanted at the present time, this feed- ing experiment served as a great advertisement for Short-horn blood. About 1854 Mr. John Huston, father of the late Rigdon Huston, in- troduced Short-horns into McDonough County, and the Hon. John Wentworth of Chicago also entered the list of breeders. The Went- worth Herd was one of the oldest in the Northwest. Its owner was a man of gigantic stature — familiarly known as " Long John "- who was prominent in the politics of the State of Illinois and amassed a large fortune in Chi- cago. He drew most of his foundation stock from the East, but bought also from his early Illinois contemporaries. His farm was located at Summit, Cook County. Mr. Wentworth maintained the herd continuously until his death, which occurred some fifteen years since, and a peculiar feature of his management was the fact that he was in the habit of putting a uniform price of $100 per head upon his crop of bulls irrespective of breeding or quality. With his customers it was "first come first served." PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 337 While we cannot undertake in the space at our command to particularize concerning all of the many herds established in Illinois in ante-bellum days, we may mention the following owners of registered stock, some of whom con- tinued in the business for many years and achieved great reputation: Stephen Dunlap, J. G. Strawn, Elliot Stevenson, John P. Hen- derson and R. Pollock of Morgan County; R. H. Whiting, George Newman, Luther Martin and Godfrey & Sumner of Knox County; Tru- man Humphreys, Peoria County; J. C. Bone, William B. Smith & Bros, and H. H. Jacoby, Sangamon County; J. M. Hill, Cass County; J. H. Spears, J. W. Judy and James Purkapile of Menard County; E. L. Gilham of Scott County; George Barnett, Robert Milne and S. W. Ran- dall of Will County; Davis Lowman of Stark County; A. G. Carle of Champaign County; S. S. Brown of Jo Daviess County; William Black of Greene County; A. Kershaw of Dupage County; The Bishop Hill Colony of Henry County; J. P. Reynolds and Ed Bebb of Win- nebago County; Thomas Wray and D. B. Tears of McHenry County; Ralph Anderson, James Makepeace and S. Simpkins of Pike County; E. C. Marks of La Salle County; George M. Bedinger of McLean County; A. W. Bowen of Will County; D. J. Townsend, Kendall County; P. Hudson, Edwards County; Green & Davis 338 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. and W. Marks, La Salle County; Charles Mer- riam and S. W. Ball of Madison County; A. Pyle, St. Clair County; George Severs and W. W. Parrish, Kankakee County; Caleff & Jacoby, Piatt County; H. C. Johns, Macon County; Parks & Trundell, Mercer County; H. N. Cross, Jersey County; M. W. Riggs, Scott County; David Graft, Woodford County; and Messrs. Green, Paul & Wurts of McLean County. Early Indiana breeders. — Short-horns were introduced into Indiana soon after the importa- tions of the Ohio Co. in 1836, at several differ- ent points. The late Dr. A. C. Stevenson of Greencastle was the "Nestor" of Short-horn breeding in the " Hoosier" State. We have al- ready referred (on page 275) to his importation from England, consisting of four heifers and two bulls? made in 1853. He had been inter- ested in Short-horn cattle for some years prior to that date, having used the Euby bull Mon- arch 717, that was bred in Kentucky in 1845. By both example and precept Dr. Stevenson never lost an opportunity to impress upon the farmers of his State the advantages of good blood, and he maintained his interest in the trade until his death, at a very advanced age, a few years since. The late Gen. Meredith, who bought his Oak- land fafm adjoining Cambridge City, in Wayne County, in 1851, was one of the most prominent PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 339 of the early Indiana breeders, and afterward acquired international reputation for his herd. He was a native of North Carolina, but removed to Indiana about 1830. He was a man of no- table physique, standing six feet seven inches in height, and for a number of years was one of the most conspicuous figures in the frater- nity of American Short-horn cattle-breeders. His entire life was marked by that same deter- mination and perseverance that impelled him when little more than a lad to make the toil- some journey from North Carolina over the mountains into the West on foot and after ar- riving to work for $6 per month cutting wood. He bought his first Short-horn bull in 1836, and from that time until his death, which occurred Oct. 21, 1875, he never lost his interest in the breed. He was closely associated with the leading breeders of his time, included among his earlier Short-horn-loving friends being such men as Samuel Thorne, Lewis G. Morris, Lewis F. Allen and Robert A. Alexander. The foun- dation cows for the Meredith herd were bought mainly in Kentucky. The first notable pur- chase of a bull was the Bates Wild Eyes imp. Balco (9918), the highest-priced bull of his fam- ily at the Kirklevington dispersion sale, men- tioned on page 240. It was something of an undertaking to transport him from New York to Indiana in those days. A letter written by 340 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. his former owner, Col. Morris, accompanied Balco on the trip addressed to "Railroad and steamboat agents en route to Cambridge City," bespeaking special attention to the wants of "this very valuable bull." Gen. Meredith was an exhibitor at the first United States Cattle Show, held at Springfield, 0., in 1857, where a prize of $500 was offered for the best Short-horn herd. There were five herds in competition — two from Ohio, two from Kentucky and Gen. Meredith's from Indiana. There were five judges, two of which voted for the Indiana herd, two for the Ohio herd and one for the Kentucky herd. After two days' fruitless balloting the committee unanimously made the rather remarkable recommendation that no premium be bestowed, but that, instead, the money remain in the society's treasury! And it was so ordered. Gen. Meredith was considered a fine judge not only of cattle but of Southdown sheep, improved swine and high- class horses, and unquestionably rendered the farmers of the State of his adoption signal ser- vice along the line of live-stock breeding. He was a gallant soldier during the War of the Rebellion, commanding the famous " Iron Bri- gade" at the battle of Gettysburg. We shall have occasion a little further on to make refer- ences to some of the more valuable animals included in the Oakland Herd in its prime. PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 341 Thos. Wilhoit of Henry County was another of the Indiana pioneers whose herd achieved celebrity. He began with Short-horns in 1851, when he bought of Milton Thornburg of Wayne County two heifers and a bull. They were good cattle for that day, although unrecorded. It is related that Mr. Wilhoit paid $35 per head for these unregistered animals, and his neigh- bors and friends considered this pure extrava- gance and laughed at what they termed his folly. His experience with them was never- theless so satisfactory that in later years he made several journeys to Kentucky, selecting animals approaching as nearly as possible his ideal as represented in the beef type. He bought four heifers from H. H. Hankins of Ohio and also purchased females from W. H. Richardson and the administrator of T. G. Sud- duth of Kentucky, paying as high as $500 for single animals. Subsequently the Wilhoit herd developed into one of the best in the Western States, largely through the use of the Booth- bred Forest Richard and Scotch bulls, reference to which will be made further on. Other enterprising men who helped to intro- duce the breed into Indiana were J. M. Wood- ruff of Johnson County, in whose hands Mr. R. A. Alexander placed the Woodburn Herd for safe-keeping during the Civil War; A. Root, Lake County; Chas. Lowder, Hendricks County; 342 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. W. W. Thrasher, Fayette County; J. D. Wilson, Greensburg; Alfred and Washington Hadley, Parke County; Smith Wooters, Union County; Jacob Taylor, Henry County; Joseph Allen, R. N. Allen and Messrs. Farrow of Putnam County; James Wright, Franklin County; Messrs. Lott and T. S. Mitchell, Jefferson County; Thos. E. Talbot, Jefferson County; John Owen, Monroe County; Levi Druley, George Davidson and L. F. Van Schoick of Wayne County; Eli Harvey, Addison Hadley and Sidney Hadley of Morgan County; W. I. Walker of La Porte County; J. W. L. Matlock, Abram Hoadley, V. Lingenfel- ter and Alfred Coffin of Hendricks County; Messrs. Scholfield, Johnson County; Joseph H. Hendricks and John R. Cravens, Jefferson County; Rockhill & Nelson and L. S. Bayless, Allen County; Nicholas Druley, Union County, and E. Pierce, Whitley County. Pioneer breeders of Michigan.— In 1843 Mr. A. S. Brooks of Oakland County, who had re- moved to Michigan from New York several years previous, ordered sent from York State three heifer calves and a bull calf, all to be pure- bred Short-horns. With the cows came a lot of Merino lambs. After a perilous journey on the lake from Buffalo they were, through the care- lessness of an attendant, turned loose in the streets of Detroit and were not located until three days afterward. They were then driven PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 343 from Detroit to Mr. Brook's farm. Some idea of the discouragement which attended early ventures of this sort in the West may be gleaned from the fact that one of his neigh- bors remarked after the arrival of this stock: "The calves are a very good lot, but the bull has evidently been fed on shortcake and honey. But I do not see what you wanted to bring those little lambs so far for. It would take a dozen of them to make a pot-pie." The critic was a man by the name of Chapman, and his was riot the first instance on record where one who "came to scoff remained to pray." Mr. Chapman was the first to buy a Short-horn heifer calf from Mr. Brooks, for which he paid the munificent sum of $10! It must be remem- bered that this was an era of very low prices and scarce money in the West, and the fact that Mr. Brooks sold a calf for such a price fairly established his reputation as a cattle- breeder, for the simple reason that one could buy a cow at that period for the price named.* The first Michigan State Fair was held at De- troit in 1849, and Short-horns were exhibited by Messrs. Brooks and Ira Phillips. The fol- lowing year the show was held at Ann Arbor, and it is recorded that there were thirty-four head of Short-horns on exhibition distributed * Paper by N. A. Clapp before the Michigan Slate Short-horn Breeders' Association, 1881. 344 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. among nineteen breeders. Some of these were, however, unable to present satisfactory evi- dences of pure breeding and were classed as grades. In 1851 the Short-horn exhibit had increased to thirty-seven head. In 1853 Mr. Brooks sold at auction his herd of non-pedi- greed stock, and then brought from New York the bull Yonondeo 1116, sired by Old Splendor 767 of the Weddle stock. He also bought the yearling heifer Fatima, for which he paid $250, and in 1858 the imported Gwynne cow Camilla. These purchases were followed by the bull John o' Gaunt 1707^, a white, sired by imp. John o' Gaunt (11621) out of imp. Romelia, brought out from England by Morris & Becar in 1854. Soon after this it is stated that Mr. Brooks sold a pair of two-year-old Short-horn steers for the very gratifying price of $228.50. This was in 1860. Soon afterward he bred a very famous white heifer that attracted the attention of en- terprising farmers throughout the entire State. She was fattened and bought by Mr. Wm. Smith of Detroit, with the expectation of exporting her to England for exhibition at the Smithfield Show. This project was not carried out, how- ever, and she was slaughtered in Detroit. Imp. Camilla gave Mr. Brooks the bull Sunrise 4411. He was white in color, symmetrical in form, and of extraordinary handling quality. He remained at the head of the herd until five PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 345 years old, and his descendants were for many years much sought after by Michigan breed- ers. In 1847 George W. Phillips of Eomeo began breeding from cows descended from the impor- tations of Messrs. Weddle and Newbold of New York, his first bull being Young Splendor 3611. In 1848 Edward Belknap of Jackson County founded a herd with the bull American Comet, a son of the Bell-Bates cow imp. Hilpa, at the head. Mr. Belknap's foundation cow was Estelle 2d, descended from Whitaker stock- Messrs. Moore of Kalamazoo County owned a few Short-horns in the early fifties. In 1857 Mr. D. M. Uhl of Ypsilanti appears as an exhibitor and breeder. About the same time Silas Sly of Wayne County engaged in the trade and was a successful showman at the Michigan State Fairs. In 1855 Mr. J. B. Crippen of Cold- water entered the lists and pushed the breed with vigor. He was quite an extensive breeder and did much to encourage the use of Short- horn bulls throughout the State. In the spring of 1857 William Curtis & Sons of Hills- dale County laid the foundation of a herd which afterward became very prominent in the State. In 1861 they bought the entire Crippen herd, and in 1864 secured the bull Llewellyn 6596 from J. 0. Sheldon of New York, They afterward visited Kentucky and 846 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. purchased females of the Illustrious, Harriet, Young Mary, Young Phyllis and White Rose tribes, as well as the bull J. E. B. Stuart, that was shown with great success. Other Michigan breeders recording in Vol. Y of the Herd Book, issued in 1861, were B. J. Bidwell of Tecumseh— who seems to have started his herd with cattle purchased mainly in Ohio and Kentucky; his foundation stock consisting largely of " Seven- teens," Daisys (by Wild), Amelias, etc. — and M. Shoemaker of Jackson, whose Belleflowers (of the Pansy tribe) obtained a good local reputa- tion. The latter also had the Estervilles of the E. P. Prentice (N. Y.) stock. Amos F. Wood of Mason became interested in Short-horn breeding as early as 1852 in the State of New York before his removal to Mich- igan. In 1867 he brought to the latter State representatives of several well-known Eastern families, such as Pansy, by Blaize, and Bright Eyes, by Favorite. He bred these two families until 1872, when he added another Pansy and a Bloom heifer. He continued breeding from this stock until June, 1874, when they were sold at auction at an average of $271.50. Mr. Wood was a Short-horn enthusiast and after- ward established another herd. First Short-horns west of the Mississippi. — The first pedigreed Short-horn cattle taken west of the Mississippi River of which we have any PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 347 record were those with which the late N. Leonard founded his Ravenswood Herd in Coo- per Co., Mo. This was in 1839, at which date Mr. Leonard bought from George Renick of Ohio the bull Comet Star 9676. It is of inter- est to note that this, probably the first pedi- greed Short-horn bull ever seen in the trans- Mississippi region, was a white. He was a yearling, sired by imp. Comet Halley (1855) out of imp. Evening Star. Along with him came the heifer Queen, by imp. Acmon (1606) out of Lady Paley by Rantipole 885; second dam imp. Flora by son of Young Albion (15). For these the sums of $600 and $500 respectively were paid. They were shipped via steamer on the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, being landed at Booneville at large expense for transportation. From these Mr. Leonard bred a number of fine cattle, and they, with their produce, were exhibited at the earliest Mis- souri fairs. Thus was the breed introduced into the farther West; the Ravenswood Short- horns commanding the admiration of the pio- neer farmers of that period. In 1853 Mr. Leon- ard bought the bull Malcolm 10436, a red-roan descended from imp. Teeswater, by Belvedere. He proved a good sire. The first "State fair" held in Missouri occurred at Booneville in 1852, Mr. Leonard being an exhibitor and receiving many prizes. He continued to exhibit stock 348 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. at various fairs, always with success until the breaking out of the Civil War. The early volumes of the herd book indicate that pure-bred Short-horns were owned in Mis- souri prior to and during the early days of the war by the following: Thomas S. Hutchinson, who was associated with Mr. Leonard; Elisha N. Warfield, Horace H. Brand and David Gas- tleman of Cooper County; H. Larimore, Calla- way County; James R. Hughes, Pettis County; Messrs. Brown, Saline County; James Doneghy, Jackson County; Messrs. Hubbell, Ray County; Lewis Bryan, Elmira; J. A. Talley, St. Charles County; B, S. Wilson, Booneville; W. D. Mc- Donald, Gallatin; D. K. Pitman, St. Charles County, and Messrs. McIIatton and Phillips of St. Louis County. At a little later period Messrs. H. V. P. Block of Pike County, Richard and William Gentry of Sedalia; C. E. Leonard, Jeff Bridgford, John G. Cowan, the Duncans, J. H. Kissinger and many others became promi- nent in the trade. Foundation Stock in Iowa. — In the report of the ninth Iowa State Fair, which was held in 1862, it is stated that Judge T. S. Wilson of Dubuque was a breeder of Short-horns twenty years prior to that date, which would indicate that specimens of the breed were taken to Iowa as early as 1S42. He exhibited at the fair men- tioned a white bull called Rocket. At the first PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 849 Iowa State Fair, which was held at Fail-field in 1854, Mr. H. G. Stuart of Lee County and Tim- othy Day of Van Buren County exhibited Short- horns, or "Durhams," as they were then com- monly called in the West. In 1858 J. H. Wal- lace, at that time Secretary of the Iowa State Agricultural Society, published what he termed the Iowa Herd Book and continued it for a few years. An examination of these volumes shows no record of cattle calved prior to 1849, and most of them were bred in the early fifties. Col. E. W. Lucas of Iowa City bought a Short- horn bull as early as 1845, and there is a record of a pure-bred bull having been taken into Mus- catine County by Charles A. Warfield in 1841. These are the first references we have to the introduction of the breed into the "Hawkeye" State.* So far as herd -book records reveal the facts, the first pure-bred Short-horn produced in the State of Iowa was the bull Marion 1833, regis- tered as bred by and the property of Samuel Hollingsworth, Pilot Grove, Lee County, calved April 4, 1851, sired by Fremont 516 and tracing on dam's side to Lady Washington by Diomed, said to have been imported in 1837, but as to the facts connected with her importation all Short-horn records are silent. Mr. Hollings- worth seems to have owned several females be- * We are indebted for these facts to Mr. H. W. Lathrop of Iowa City. 350 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. longing to this same Lady Washington family, which will be found recorded in the early vol- umes of the herd book. We should place the beginning of his work a few years prior to 1850. Mr. Timothy Day of Van Buren County was one of the first to begin in a systematic way the breeding of registered Short-horn cattle in Iowa. He commenced about 1854, his founda- tion stock being obtained mainly from Ken- tucky, and consisted of animals descending from the importation of 1817. The earliest sires used in his herd seem to have been Fill- more 2855, a light roan, bred by E. G. Bedford and sired by the Louan show bull Perfection 810, and Star of the West 3469, a Mrs. Motte bull of Brutus J. Clay's breeding. He also seems to have used the bull Nicholas Jr. 752, a white, bred by Jere Duncan and sired by D'Ot- ley 432, tracing to imp. Fashion. At least he recorded females in Vol. IV of the American Herd Book, entering them as bred by himself and sired by that bull. It is possible that he simply bought the dams in Kentucky in calf to this bull and recorded the progeny as his own breeding on account of their having been dropped in his possession. During the great extension of Short-horn breeding in the West, following the War of the Eebellion, the Day herd became one of the most prominent in PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 351 the Western States through the enterprise of Messrs. A. H. & I. B. Day, who purchased and bred some of the best cattle ever owned in the State of Iowa, and exhibited them with suc- cess in competition with th.e leading herds of the time. Contemporary with the elder Day, Mr. H. G. Stuart of Lee County founded a herd and bred Short-horns in considerable numbers, descended mainly from cows of Kentucky breeding, a ma- jority of them belonging to the "Seventeen" and Rose, by Skipton, families. One of his earliest bulls appears to have been the light roan Tom Claggett 2299, bred in Bourbon Co., Ky., by Peter Hedges. About this same date —1854 — an organization known as the Ohio Stock-Breeding Co. operated quite largely in Ohio-bred Short-horns in Butler County, mak- ing their purchases mainly from the herds of Messrs. Dun, Harrold, Jacob Pierce and their contemporaries. They seem to have pushed their business with some vigor; at any rate they were enterprising enough to have pre- pared and inserted in Vol. Ill of the herd book, published in 1857, an illustration of their big red -and -white Caroline, by Dash wood, cow Quince, of James Dun's breeding. In this same volume of the herd book Peter Melendy of Butler County first appears as the owner of the Ohio-bred light-roan " Seventeen" cow Ar- 352 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. tetnesia 3d, whose bull calf of December, 1857 — Champion 2615 — was sold to William Bidden of Bremer County. Mr. Melencly seems to have first used the bull Young Colonel 3584, bred by John G. Dun of Ohio. He sold an Artemesia heifer, calved in 1858, to George Clark of Cedar Falls. Among the other owners of Short-horns in Iowa in the "fifties" were John Patterson of Burlington; B. N. Moore of Van Buren County; George Griff en of Monroe County ; J. H. Majors of Mahaska County ; John E. Teter of Jasper County, who owned a roan Ohio-bred Rose of Sharon cow that was calved in 1856; and W. Duane Wilson of Fairfield, who appears in Vol. Ill as the owner of an Ohio-bred Rosabella. About 1860 a religious order holding 3,000 acres of good land in Dubuque County under the title of the Corporation of New Melleray* established a herd of Short-horns. They bred largely from stock tracing to the importa- tion of 1817; one of their earliest bulls having been Emperor 3910, bred by Capt. James N. Brown of Illinois and sired by imp. King Al- fred. One of their foundation cows was the roan Beauty Spot — a daughter of Mr. War- field's Renick 903— bred in Kentucky in 1854. They also purchased a cow from Hon. J. D. Smith of Illinois, and another bred in 1854 'The Brothers making1 up this Catholic organization came originally from Ireland in 1831; establishing- upon the fertile body of land secured in Dubuque County what is known as New Melleray Abbey. PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 353 from John P. Henderson of Morgan Co., 111. It was from this corporation that "Uncle John" G. Myers of Washington County bought his first Short-horns in the early "sixties"; haul- ing them across country in wagons. Such were the beginnings of the Short-horn trade in the great cattle-growing State, which perhaps now numbers within its borders more herds than any other State in the Union. Early Wisconsin herds. — We have referred on page 276 to an importation made into Wis- consin direct from England by John P. Roe of Waukesha County in 1854. Mr. Roe bred from imp. Raspberry and other females for some years, his herd being a source of supply for the farmers of that part of the State. So far as we can ascertain, however, a start in Short-horn breeding had been made shortly before this importation; the earliest owners of registered stock in the State being Messrs. C. H. Williams of Baraboo and Lambert H. Kissam of Berlin, M^rquette County. Mr. Kissam 's operations do not appear to have been very extensive, but the Williams herd was maintained for many years and became prominent, G. W. Bicknell of Rock County appears in the herd book as an owner of registered Short-horns prior to 1860, as does also the late Richard Richards of Racine. Mr. Richards was & devoted admirer of improved farm stock, and secured his first Short-horns 354 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. from Northern Illinois herds and by purchase in Ohio. One of his first investments was the Rose of Sharon cow Camilla and her heifer calf, bought of Edward Bebb of Winnebago Co., 111. These were of Harness Renick's (Ohio) sort. In the fourth volume of the herd book entries were made by Messrs. E. E. Elkins of Kenosha, A. G. Knight of Racine and C. F. Hammond of Fond du Lac County, all of whom owned Short-horns prior to 1859. During the war little was done in the way of extending the trade in this State, but Wisconsin took a prominent part in the great revival of interest in the breed that oc- curred immediately after the conclusion of peace. Activity in the show-yard.— While it thus appears that the foundations of Short-horn breeding had been laid throughout the cen- tral corn belt of the Middle West prior to the Civil War, it was not until about 1865 that the business received impetus sufficient to en- list general attention. Quick to realize the ad- vantage of public exhibitions as a means of bringing the breed to the notice of the farming community, enterprising men began, about the date mentioned, to seek for the best obtainable specimens for show-yard purposes. Conspicu- ous among those who came to the front in this line of work were the breeders of the State of Illinois. They had already taken the lead so PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 355 far as the new West was concerned when they made the importation of 1857, and they now began a campaign in behalf of Short-horns at the fairs that proved productive of far-reaching results, bringing to the support of the trade scores of new recruits whose liberal invest- ments and enterprise spread the reputation of the Short-horn throughout the largest area of rich corn and blue-grass land in the world. Some of the more important of these show-yard operations leading up to the great "boom" of the "seventies" will now be noticed. William R. Duncan and Minister 6363. — Mr. William R. Duncan, a Kentuckian who re- moved to McLean Co., 111., about 1864, had bred cattle for many years in his native State, hav- ing had in service at one time in his Clark County herd Mr. Alexander's imp. Orontes 2d (11877), which he had hired in the fall of 1855 for one year at $655. He brought with him to Illinois a good lot of stock, including quite a number of Vanmeter Young Marys, Phyllises, etc., and also the roan Woodburn-bred bull Ox- ford Wiley 8753, sired by imp. Royal Oxford (18774) out of a Miss Wiley dam. This bull subsequently became the property of J. B. Ry- burn of Bloomington. Mr. Duncan is chiefly distinguished, however, in connection writh Western Short-horn history by reason of his exhibition of the show bull Minister 6368, bred 356 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. by R. A. Alexander, calved in 1863 and brought to Illinois by Mr. Duncan as a two-year-old in 1865. He was a strong-backed red, of great scale and fine style; indeed quite a typical specimen of the class of bulls then so popular in Ohio and Kentucky. He was sired by the Filbert Bell-Bates bull Lord Derby 4949* out of Minna 2d by imp. Duke of Airdrie (12730); sec- ond dam the red cow Minna by Bridegroom, which Mr. Alexander had imported from the herd of Mr. Fawkes of Farneley Hall, Minister was not only one of the star show bulls of -his day in Illinois but sired show stock, one of his best sons being the prize bull Royal Rose 12852, that was out of a Yanmeter Red Rose-Young Mary dam and sold at auction in 1874 for $1,000. Minister was also the sire of the roan Miss Leslie, a Young Mary that sold at Col. King's Dexter Park sale in 1874 along with her daughter by Gen. Napier for $4,020 to the late C. A. DeGraff of Minnesota. He was also the sire of the Young Phyllis show cows Pattie Moore, Pattie Moore 2d and Queen of the Meadows. J. M. Hill's sale. — Among the earlier Illinois breeders who took an interest in the show-ring was Mr. J. M. Hill of Harristown. Like most •Lcnxl Derby was sired by Albion 2482, a white bull by imp. Grand Turk (12969)— a Bates-crossed Booth. Albion's dam was imp. Frances Fairfax, bred by Mr. Ambler and a half-sister to Mr. Cruickshank's noted stock bull Lord Raslan, by Crusade (7»38). PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 357 of the other Western breeders of that day he had relied largely upon Kentucky for his breed- ing stock, and he not only bought some good cattle from the blue-grass country but had se- cured the services as herdsman of David Grant, who had been for a time in the employ of Geo. M. Bedford. Grant was a Scotchman, who had gone from Canada to Kentucky to feed show stock, and later on had charge of some of the most celebrated prize-winners ever shown in the West. Mr. Hill died suddenly at Quincy, 111., while the Illinois State Fair of 1867 was in progress, and Nov. 20 of that year his herd was closed out at auction under the management of J. H. Pickrell as administrator.* Everything offered sold quickly at good prices. It was here that the 15th Duke of Airdrie was bought by Hon. John Wentworth of Chicago for $1,260. and "thereby hangs a tale." Hon. M. H. Coch- rane of Hillhurst, Can., wanted this bull and sent Simon Beattie to the sale to buy him. The bidding was mainly by Mr. Beattie and a stranger whose identity was unknown to any of the breeders present. The "unknown" had his *The Grove Park Herd of James N. Brown & Sons had never failed to g-et the herd prize at the Illinois State Fair after the herd competition was inaugurated until 1867 at Quincy. At that fair J. H. Pickrell's herd was awarded the first prize both for aged animals and for young1 herd. Mr. Hill, who died on the grounds at the close of that show, won the second prizes on both herds. Hill had always said that he would just like to live long- enough to beat Capt. Brown's herd, so that he really accomplished his object. He was sick when the show was made and died the next day, but he was told that his herd had beaten Mr. Brown's* 358 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. way in the matter, and after the Duke was knocked off to him presented credentials from Mr. Wentworth, who was one of the best-known men in the State. After the bull had been put on board the cars the buyer produced two cards, upon which were written in Mr. Wentworth's own handwriting these words: "If this 'green- horn' of an Irishman gets lost send this bull to John Wentworth, Chicago." The cards were tied to the Duke's horns, and it is needless to say he arrived safely at Summit Farm, where he did good service up to his fifteenth year. At this same sale Mr. D. McMillan of Ohio, whose herd was one of the foremost of that day, sent an unlimited order to buy the cow White Lady, a daughter of imp. Western Lady, for which Capt. James N. Brown had paid $1,325 at the Importing Co.'s sale in 1857, and secured her at $800. J. H. Pickrell. — We now reach the point where consideration must be given to the work of Hon. J. H. Pickrell — the present editor of the American Short-horn Herd Book — formerly of Harristown, 111., whose long and active identification with Short-horn interests in the United States calls for conspicuous recognition. Mr. Pickrell descends from a Kentucky and Virginia ancestry. His father removed from Kentucky to Illinois in 1828, settling in Sanga- mon County. J. H. (or "Henry," as his friends PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 359 are fond of calling him) was born March 20, 1834, in this State. In regard to his earliest in- duction into the Short-horn trade we can do no better than quote the following characteristic account furnished by Mr. Pickrell himself: " The month of September, 1859, found me in Kentucky for the purpose of attending the Bourbon County Fair at Paris (that was then said to be the oldest continuous fair in the United States) and the Kentucky State Fair, that was held in Lexington the fol- lowing week. Arriving at Paris I took a room at the Bourbon House, expecting to occupy it during the week. Reaching the fair ground soon after dinner I found a large crowd in attendance. An Illinois gentleman who happened to be visiting in an adjoining county and had come to the fair recognized me and informed one of the directors that the President of the Macon Co. (111.) Fair was on the grounds. The Marshal was at once started around the amphitheater to call me. I responded, supposing that he had a telegram for me. He invited me into the ring and introduced me to the officers, who no doubt thought that Illinois must have been hard up for men when such a young one as I was should be chosen for such a position. I was older, though, when I resigned after nineteen years' continuous service. Whether they thought so or not I was heartily welcomed and royally entertained during my visit. At the close of the day's exhibition I was invited by two or three directors to go home with them. I at first declined, stat- ing that I had my room secured for the fair. After some good- natured contention between them one of them remarked that he had one of the nicest nieces in the world and that she was. going to his home for the night. The hotel room was given up, and you can guess which one of them I went home with. " The next week the fair was held at Lexington. As Hon. Bru- tus J. Clay was President of both fairs and Mr. William Warfield one of the chief managers of the State Fair ; and as the gentleman who had charge of the Bourbon County Fair, together with the young people I had met at Paris, were also in attendance, I began to feel that I was not so much of a stranger after all. The young ladies were nearly all daughters of prominent Short-horn breed- ers and were of course much interested in the awards, and we all indulged in guessing which would win the prizes. It was the largest and much the best display of Short-horns I had ever wit- nessed at a fair, and I had been quite successful in naming the 360 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. prize-winners. When the sweepstakes ring was called from thirty to forty cows and heifers put in an appearance. One of the young ladies remarked that she would bet that I could not name the winner. I asked her to name the stake. She laughingly said that she did not know what she had to bet unless it would be herself, so it was soon arranged that I should bet myself against her. She granted me the privilege of accepting the invitation that Mr. War- field had tendered me of examining the animals before the awards were made. Upon returning to the amphitheater I named Emma Hickman (Vol. VIII, p. 338) , that had just turned her two-year mark, and she won the blue ribbon and I won the girl and got the stakes. Of course it was a safe bet, for had she won I would have paid. It was my first and last bet, and, as getting married is a game of chance anyway, I have never been censured for making it. And as I had proved (to myself at least) that I knew a good one (cow, and girl, too) I concluded to make Short-horn breeding my business, and under the circumstances I do not think that even the Hereford or the 'doddie' men would wonder at my be- coming a Short-horn breeder." Sweepstakes 6230. — Mr. PickrelPs promi- nence in the Western Short-horn trade may be said to date from the year 1865, when he pur- chased from George M. Bedford of Kentucky the red-and-white Rose of Sharon bull Sweep- stakes 6230 at $600 as a yearling. Mr. Bedford had bought the bull as a calf from his breeder, Abram Renick, for $150. Mr. Pickrell had. pre- viously seen Minister 6363 and liked him so well that he would have been willing to purchase him at a long price, but Mr. Duncan would not part with him. Sweepstakes had won a cham- pionship at the Bourbon County Fair as a year- ling, having been "made up" for that show by the late John Hope, afterward prominent in connection with the Bow Park Short-horns in PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 361 Canada. Sweepstakes was sired by Mr. Renick's Airdrie 2478 out of Cordelia by Dandy Duke 2691, and therefore carried a double cross of Mr. Alexander's imp. Duke of Airdrie (12730). Mr. Bedford afterward regretted having sold the bull, but was induced to do so on account of his color. He had considerable white, and the Bedford herd at that time included quite a large proportion of light-colored cows and heif- ers. As the red fancy was even then asserting itself, and as Mr. Bedford had been offered by Mr. Renick an own brother to Sweepstakes that was darker in color, he parted with the bull to come to Illinois. It is related that when " Uncle Abe " Renick heard that Mr. Bedford had received $600 for Sweepstakes he decided that his Bourbon County contemporary should not get the calf that he had already priced at $150. Mr. Bed- ford went over at once to see about it and found Mr. Renick ill. The housekeeper, who was quite familiar with all of Mr. Renick's eccentricities, advised Mr. Bedford not to notice what the old gentleman had said, saying "old Abe never would do anything when he was sick." This did not satisfy Mr. Bedford, however, and he left and never secured the bull. Mr. Pickrell states that Mr. Bedford thereupon offered him the choice of his entire herd if he would leave Sweepstakes, but as he (Pickrell) was desirous of securing a first-class show bull he declined 362 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. to avail himself of this privilege and shipped the bull to Illinois.* At the time Sweepstakes landed in Illinois Duncan's Minister was having it all his own way in the West, but Mr. Pickrell's purchase soon acquired rank over him. The first meet- ing of these two young bulls occurred at the Illinois State Fair at Chicago in 1866. Minis- ter was a year older than Sweepstakes, and in their respective classes each received first prize, but in competition for a $100 bull chan_ *The first Short-horn Mr. Pickrell purchased for breeding1 purposes was Lord Highland 4113, which came to the farm in August, 1860. In Janu ary, 1861, he brought from Kentucky Duke of Rockland 2785 and three young bulls and seven cows and heifers. They were good ones of "Seventeen" extraction. The next addition to the herd was in June, 1863, when pur- chases were made in Kentucky from William Warfield, the late James Hall and Maj. Duncan. In 1864 stock was bought from the herd of Capt. James N. Brown and James M. Hill of Illinois. In 1865 came Sweepstakes 6230 and the Phyllis cow Kate Lewis, of Ben F. Vanmeter's breeding — a cow that was good enough to win first prize at the Illinois State Fair in 1868, in com- petition with one of the best collections of cows ever seen in the West, be- sides many other prizes. Mr. Pickrell says: " Kate Lewis was one of the best specimens of a beef cow that I ever saw and at the same time was the best milk cow that was ever In my herd. We did not make formal tests then, as they do nowadays, to see the amount and quality of milk she would give, but I often measured it after a good big calf had finished nursing, and frequently we would get a wooden pail full. She was the dam of Baron Lewis 9484, that I sold for $3,000 (the first animal bred in Illinois that sold for that much). He was her third calf and she died of milk fever after he was produced." At this same time Princess Ann was purchased from B. J. Clay. She produced Princess Belle (Vol. VIII, page 516), a heifer that won a sweepstakes at the Illinois State Fair over all competitors at two years old. She unfortunately took the lump-jaw, and as medical aid failed to cure her was slaughtered and her skeleton was preserved and mounted and sent to the University of Illinois, at Champaign. This was at the begin- ning of the revival in prices, and these three animals cost, respectively, 1600, $400 and $250. The price was thought by many to be exorbitant, but it did not turn out so. They proved to be a splendid investment. The princi- pal addition to the herd in 1866 was made from Israel Pierce, whose stock came from the Messrs. Dun of Madison Co., O. This purchase was followed the next year by others from Messrs. John G. and W. D. Dun, seven from B. C. Bedford of Paris (Ky.) and five from the administrator's sale of the PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 363 pionship the Rose of Sharon was successful. The following week at St. Louis he again cap- tured $300 in prizes. These victories were re- peated at the same shows in 1867, $600 in money being awarded the Pickrell bull. Of the four large prizes shown for by these two bulls during the years of 1866-1867, aggregat- late J. M. Hill, held in November of that year. In 1868 Hannibal 6838 was purchased. Imp. Duke of Airdrie (12730) was his grandsire, great-grandsire and great-great-grand sire. In December, 1868, Baron Booth of Lancaster 7535 and Prairie Blossom, Vol. IX, page 879 (from the herd of J. O. Sheldon, Geneva, N. Y.), were added. In 1869 some cows were purchased from Thomas Warfield of Macon Co.. 111. In 1he lot was the mother of Lord Highland 4113. Her first calf after coming i. -> the herd was Daisy Booth, by Baron Booth of Lan- caster, that sold for U,310 as a yearling. In this purchase also was Bride 15th (Vol. X, page 521), that produced Lady Bride, that sold at public auction for $2,850, and afterward won every prize she showed for. Another noted cow that came about that time was Lady Fairy 12th, from Mr. Warfield s herd, and Princess Royal 5th, from B. J. Clay's herd. One or two animals were added in 1870. In 1871 some Lady Elizabeths were bought from T. C. Stoner, Macon County, who had bought them from the herd of the Messrs. Hamilton of Kentucky. In this lot was a calf, Maggie Ellen (Vol. XI, page 861), by Baron Booth of Lancaster, that was sold to the Government of Japan for $1,000, one of the first lot of cattle ever known to have been ex- ported to that country. Mr. Pickrell displayed a fondness for the excitement of the show-yard at an early age. In the spring of 1840 his grandfather gave him a sucking mare colt, and although the boy was but six years old at the time he rode the dam to Springfield, exhibited the colt and took first prize, which was a big silver spoon, marked " Sangamon County Agricultural Society, 1840." Mr. Pickrell has that token of his early show-ring prowess yet. The first year that he owned a Short-horn ( 1861) he made an exhibit and won a prize. The next year he showed at Macon, Logan and Sangamon County (111.) Fairs. His career at the Illinois State Fair commenced in 1863 and contin- ued for many years, in the course of which he visited as an exhibitor va- rious other State fairs, including Indiana, Ohio and Iowa, and never miss- ing the St. Louis show when they had a fair at that city. Deducting amounts paid for transportation, feed, etc., he received during the nine years from the fall of 1866 to the fall of 1874 $9,120 in, prizes, and it may also be added that during the first fifteen years he bred Short-horns he received from other breeders $2,570 for the use of bulls, a certain indication that they were good ones. Mr. Pickrell says: "Just for curiosity at one time I computed the perio.d of gestation of 100 cows in my herd. The shortest period was 256 days and the longest 2% days (both cow calves), the average being 283 days." 864 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. ing in value $1,000, Sweepstakes gained three, possessing a value of $900. At the Illinois State Fair of 1868 Sweepstakes won the $200 prize offered for bull with five of his get. In brief he was the ranking bull of the breed in the West for the years mentioned. He was closer to the ground than Minister, possessed fine finish, ample substance, and good depth and quality of flesh. He had been well han- dled from the time Mr. Hope had first fitted him, and proved an exceedingly useful stock- getter, leaving many valuable calves in the Pickrell herd.* He was finally sold to Mr. G. J. Hagerty of Ohio, in whose hands he added still further to his laurels, siring among other choice stock there the show heifers Blue Belle 14th and Bonnie Belles 7th and 13th. Gen. Grant 4825.— While Kentucky was the chief source of supply for the early Illinois, Indiana and Missouri herds, it remained for Ohio to contribute to the West one of the greatest all-around show and breeding bulls of American production ever owned in the West- * After the Hill dispersion sale Mr. Pickrell had engaged David Grant to take charge of his stock, and that capable feeder and herdsman was identi- fied with the great triumphs of Mr. Pickrell's show herds most of the time until 1875, and it is not too much to say that a large share of the success at- tained was due to " Davy's " fidelity and good judgment. George Story was also at Mr. Hill's at the time of the proprietor's de- cease. His brother William Story came to Mr. Pickrell's in time to fit Sweepstakes and the rest for the shows of 1807. He was also from Canada and had been working with sheep with William Miller. It is needless to say that William was a proud lad when his pets won first prize that year over the Hill cattle brought into the ring by Grant and George Story. PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 365 ern States — the far-famed Gen. Grant 4825. Few bulls can boast a longer list of show-yard honors, and no other sire ever used in the State left a legacy more valuable than the daughters of Gen. Grant proved to be in leading Western herds. Calved in 1862 in the herd of D. McMil- lan of Xenia, this remarkable bull was shown for five years by his breeder at the leading fairs of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois with but one defeat. Passing into the hands of Mr. J. H. Spears of Tallula, 111., in 1867, he not only con- tinued to carry prizes at the Illinois, Iowa and St. Louis shows but sired some of the best cat- tle the West has ever known. Gen. Grant came of a noble ancestry. His sire was the $3,000 bull imp. Starlight (see page 252), one of the best bulls ever owned in the State of Ohio. His dam was Mr. McMil- lan's great show cow Jessie (winner of more first and championship prizes at leading Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky fairs from I860 to 1867 than any other cow of her day), by Starlight 2cl 2259. It thus appears that Gen. Grant was the product of mating a son and a daughter of old imp. Starlight. The youngster grew to be a remarkably compact bull, with the general appearance at first glance of being somewhat undersized; but in good flesh he would tip the beam at 2,400 Ibs. His head was good — perhaps a little too masculine to fill the 366 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. eye of some; but "sweet" heads, are not spe- cially to be desired in breeding bulls. His eye was remarkably mild, his neck short, his shoul- ders smooth and his chine and back good. He was rather high at root of tail and wanted filling at the flank; but he was well balanced in essential points, had a mellow hide and one of the silkiest coats of hair ever seen. In disposition he was so quiet that a child could handle him, in this respect resembling his great-grand sire Mario, a bull that Judge Jones states never required a nose-ring. Of the career of Gen. Grant in the show-ring it is scarcely necessary to speak at length. In the hands of Mr. McMillan he was exhibited in Ohio and Indiana up to and including his fifth year, and in all that time met with but one de- feat.* Passing into the possession of Mr. Spears he was shown with his get all over the West, capturing the highest honors in competition that would astonish some exhibitors at the *An amusing incident occurred one year when Mr. Spears exhibited Gen. Grant at the head of his herd at the Illinois State Fair at Peoria. He was the oldest and perhapc the largest bull in the ring at the head of a herd. As the regularly-appointed committee failed to respond to the call the superintendent concluded that he would send in a committee composed of strangers to the exhibitors. As there was a big show on this action rather startled the exhibitors. When the " unknowns ' started in Mr. Byram of Abingdon, 111., who was showing his mother's herd, said to Mr. Spears : " Who's that committee? " Mr. Spears looked a long time, and not knowing any of them said : " I do not know, but I think they are a lot of shoemakers antL tailors." When after examining the herds they brought the first-prize ribbon to Mr. Spears Mr. Byram said: '> What do you think of them now? " "Well," said Spears, "I reckon they thought my bull's hide would make more shoes than any bull in the ring." PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 367 present day. Often ten or twelve first-class herds and twenty to forty animals would show in single rings, and all of them good ones. He was the first-prize bull calf at the Ohio State Fair of 1862; sweepstakes winner at same show, 1863; first in his class same year at Wayne Co, (Tnd.) and Indiana State Fairs; first and sweep- stakes at same fairs, 1864; first prize and sweep- stakes at the Ohio State Fair, 1865; first prize and sweepstakes and gold medal as prize bull with five of his calves at Indiana State Fair in 1866, and at head of prize herd at same fair; first, with five of his calves, and at head of prize herd at Ohio State Fair, 1866. In the year 1865 he stood at the head of the herd awarded first prize at the Iowa and Illinois State Fairs. He was repeatedly awarded the first prize at many county fairs in Central Illi- nois, won first prize at St. Louis and first with five of his get at the Illinois State Fair at Peo- ria in 1873. In the herd ~of Mr. McMillan Gen. Grant proved a most valuable sire, two of his get, Mignonette and Wenona, bringing respectively $3,800 and $3,000 at his great sale soon to be mentioned. As to what he did in Illinois we can do no better than to quote the language of Mr. Spears: "He was a sure and good server, and, allow me to sa}7", the best and most uni- form breeder I ever saw or ever expect to see. 368 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. He never got a calf in all his long career but what would readily sell at a first-class price; while as a show bull and getter of show ani- mals he stands unrivaled." At Mr. Spears' great sale of 1875 the Nelly Ely family, largely the get of Gen. Grant (tracing to imp. Lady Elizabeth by Emperor), were pronounced by many of the most prominent breeders of Ken- tucky and other States the best family of cows they had ever seen together, and the fine aver- age of over $1,500 was attained in the sale-ring that day.* Prominent among the Nelly Blys may be mentioned the 5th and 7th of the fam- ily, the latter a grand breeder and show cow and sold for $2,000. Of his bull calves the most noted that we now recall were Mr. Kissinger's famous Starlight 11018, Duke of Forest Hill (never beaten in the show-ring except by bulls got by Gen. Grant) and Major Story. The two latter were shown at all the leading fairs of the West, usually winning first and second. A wonderful show calf also was Major Jones, * Col. James W. Judy of Tallula, 111., the veteran auctioneer who made this sale, in response to a query as to the character of these cattle, under date of Feb. 4, 1898, said: " The Nelly Blys bred by Mr. Spears were a grand family of cattle — good feeders, good milkers and very prolific and almost invariably good colors and very uniform in their general make-up, which was very neat, and I think many of their sterling qualities were largely due to the blood of Gen. Grant. He was a low-down, well-proportioned, blocky bull; a yellow or pale red, with no white; solid red, with a remarkably mellow hide and as fine a coat of silky hair as I ever saw on a bull, and was a very uniform and regular breeder, and was a great factor in spread- ing the fame of the Spears Nelly Blys — in fact did more for the reputation of Mr. Spears' herd of Short-horns than any bull he ever owned, the 21at Duke of Airdrie not excepted," PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 369 that during a whole fail campaign of State and county fairs (including St. Louis) was never beaten, taking sixteen first prizes — and we be- lieve every time by a unanimous vote of the awarding committee — in rings where there were often twenty or more competitors. It is idle to attempt to say which were most uni- formly good of the get of Gen. Grant — his bulls or his heifers. Mr. Spears was never able to decide, and Mr. McMillan often said, after the bull came West, that for uniformity of breed- ing he had never known the General's equal. He died at Mr. Spears' Forest Hill Farm at the ripe age of fourteen years. Baron Booth of Lancaster.— We now have to note an epoch-marking event. Mr. Pickrell had parted with Sweepstakes and Spears wras triumphant with Gen. Grant. The desire to gain honors in the show-ring now asserted itself actively throughout the West. Leaders in the trade sought in ever direction for heavy show- yard timber. While the Kentucky and Ohio- bred cattle and their descendants were con- tending among themselves for the mastery in the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys Hon. M. H. Cochrane of Hillhurst, Can., began a series of importations destined to produce marked changes in the prevailing channels of trade. In 1867 his agent, that fine judge of a good Short-horn, the late Simon Beattie, selected 84 370 A HISTORY OF ^H CRT-HORN CATTLE. and brought out by the steamship Austrian from Glasgow to Montreal a cow and a bull calf that proved to be makers of history. One was Rosedale; the other, Baron Booth of Lan- caster 7535. Of the former we shall have more to say later on. Of the latter we must now speak as a new force in the progress of the breed in the Western States. Greater cows than Kosedale may have trod American show- yards. Greater Short-horn bulls than Baron Booth of Lancaster may have "starred" the great show circuits of the Nation. History has failed, however, to record the names of any such. The Baron came from Scotland. He was bred by G. R. Barclay of Fifeshire and was got by Baron Booth (21212)* out of Mary of Lancaster — one of a set of triplets bred from the herd of Amos Cruickshank of Sittyton- by Lord Raglan (13244). His second dam was Lancaster 25th (of same derivation as Mr. Cruickshank's Lavenders — from Wilkinson of Lenton) by Matadore (11800), a bull that was a brother to Mr. Alexander's imp. Mazurka, by Harbinger. Mr. Cochrane exhibited the young- ster as a yearling at Montreal, Hamilton and at * Baron Booth was bred by Mr. R. S. Bruere of Braithwaite Hall, York- shire. He was got by Prince George (13510) out of Vesper by King Arthur (13110), and was bought by Mr. Barclay when a two-year-old for $1,000. He was the sire, among other noted animals, of the $6,000 bull imp. Cherub; Star of Braithwaite; the great show heifer Booth's Lancaster, Booth's Seraphlna.'and the bull Knight of Warlaby, used by Messrs. Hunter in Canada. PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 371 the New York State Fair in 1868. At each show he won first in his class and headed the win- ning herd. A scale of points was used in the judging at the York State Fair, and Baron Booth was credited with 950 out of a possi- ble 970 points; 1,000 being counted as perfec- tion in a female, 30 points being allowed for udder. Through Wm. Miller of Canada, afterward of Storm Lake, la., Mr. Pickrell learned of the wonderful young bull Mr. Cochrane had flashed upon the public in Canada and the East, and in company with W. R. Duncan visited Hillhurst. They found the bull even better than they had anticipated, and for a consideration of $1,550 Mr. Pickrell secured him for the Harristown Herd.* He was brought to Illinois by Mr. Miller, who with characteristic thrift ran the gauntlet of the customs with a valuation of $100 on the bull. The new arrival was in- stalled in his new position in January, 1869, where he remained in service until his death, which occurred while en route to the Illinois State Fair of 1873. It is doubtful if a grander- backed bull has ever been produced by the Short-horn breed. His top from crest to tail- root was the wonder of his time. Such breadth * Duncan bought a yearling- heifer on this same trip out of Rosedale by a Duke bull, concerning- which ' Willie" Miller says: " The sire was em- phatically bad and impressive. I believe the heifer never bred, which was }ust as well, for she was a bad one.' 372 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. and depth and evenness of flesh had not before been seen in the West, and his smoothly-cov- ered hips were something of a revelation to those who had been accustomed to the rough- ness often observable at the "hooks" in the leading herds of that date. He was a bull of magnificent substance, possessing great depth of chest and was heavily filled behind the shoul- ders. That he was a kindly feeder is well shown by the following figures: When he went into herdsman David Grant's hands in January, 1869. he weighed 1,580 Ibs.; April 28, 1,730 Ibs.; June 16, 1,810 Ibs.; Aug. 31, 1,965 Ibs.; Feb. 22, 1870, 2,170 Ibs.; July 1, 1870, 2,290 Ibs.; Sept. 2, 2,400 Ibs., arid at full maturity 2,600 Ibs. He at once took and held a commanding position in the show-ring, and was never beaten, as a sire shown with his progeny. It must be remem- bered that we are now dealing with the days of the battles of the giants of the Western arena; that the "all-star" combination of Col. William S. King, the like of which has possi- bly not since been seen in America, was on the road; that Gen. Grant and Tycoon were in the field; that ten to twelve herds often en- tered the competition; that sometimes thirty to forty animals were engaged in a single ring. To have been the most successful bull of this golden age of the Western shows is sufficient to stamp Baron Booth of Lancaster as the PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 373 greatest Short-horn of his day and generation on this continent. The Baron began his career as a show bull in the United States at the Ohio State Fair of 1869 at Toledo, Mr. Pickrell having shipped his Illinois cattle to that point, where he met great competition, eleven herds competing in the Short-horn class. Daniel McMillan of Ohio had been winning the herd prize at the Buck- eye show for so many years that it was consid- ered rather presumptuous on the part of an Illinois breeder to beard the lion in his den in this manner. On the morning of the show Mr. Pickrell would have been very willing to have divided the money with McMillan, but before night he had been awarded the $200 prize for best herd, the Baron also receiving first prize in his class and ths $100 bull championship. The McMillan herd was very celebrated at this date, being headed by the Canada-bred Plan- tagenet 6031, and included some of the best of the Jere Duncan (Kentucky) Louans and other good sorts. Mr. Pickrell had visited it be- fore the Toledo show, and then went to Ken- tucky to attend the Bourbon County Fair. Mr. McMillan asked him to examine the Kentucky herds carefully to see if he thought it would pay to send the Ohio show herd to that State, Mr. Pickrell reported favorably and the Mc- Millan herd was so exhibited, and with success. 374 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. The Ohio cattle were then shipped to the To- ledo and afterward to the Peoria (111.) Fair, being defeated at both points by the Pickrell herd. Soon after these shows the Pickrell and Spears herds came together at the Illinois State Fair at Decatur. Messrs. McMillan and Charles Fullington, who were both noted Ohio breeders of that date, were present as visitors, and, desiring to honor them, the superintend- ent placed them upon the committee, to which, of course, nobody could object, although under the circumstances it was scarcely fair, as Mr. Spears had purchased Gen. Grant from Mr. McMillan and the bull's dam, Jessie, had been bred and owned by Mr. Fullington. They gave the Spears herd the prize. After the awards had been made the gentlemen passed up to the amphitheater, where Mrs. Pickrell and her sis- ter, Miss Bedford, who lived in Kentucky, were stationed, and of course the award was dis- cussed in the presence of the ladies; where- upon Miss Bedford remarked that she was "getting scared." She "didn't know Kentucky was getting so far behind. An Ohio herd went South and beat everything there was in Ken- tucky. This same herd then goes to the Ohio State Fair and an Illinois herd comes along and defeats it. Then the following week the very herd that beat the Ohio herd is beaten by an- other Illinois herd." So she thought Illinois PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 375 was getting clear ahead of Kentucky and was getting a little ahead of Ohio. All of which rather annoyed the Ohio breeder and inciden- tally foreshadowed the future. At this same show Baron Booth of Lancaster was so unfor- tunate as to be turned down to third place in the class for two-year-old bulls, first prize going to 25th Great Republic, owned by the Shakers and shown by John Martin, and sec- ond prize to a bull called Sucker Boy shown by Harvey Sodowsky of Vermilion Co., 111. Nei- ther of these bulls cut any figure in subse- quent showings, and the committee that did the work was severely criticised. In 1870 Baron Booth was first- prize and cham- pion bull at Quincy, 111., at the Iowa State Fair and at the Illinois State Fair, champion at St. Louis, first and champion at Canton, and stood at the head of the groups that won the $100 championship for best display at the Iowa Show and the $100 prize for the bull showing five best calves at the Illinois State Fair. In 1871 he was first and champion at the Illinois State Fair, first at St. Louis, and at the head of the first-prize herd at same show, besides winning numerous firsts and championships at local fairs for himself and get. In 1872 he was again first and champion at the Illinois State Fair, won the $200 bull sweepstakes at St. Louis and was everywhere first with his get. In fact he was 376 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. never defeated in showing with his progeny, and during these four years gained for the Pick- rell herd prizes aggregating in value over $4,000 cash.* As a stock-getter he "nicked" especially with cows and heifers by Mr. Renick's old Airdrie 2478 and those by the llth Duke of Airdrie 5533. It was a cross upon an Airdrie cow that gave Mr. Pickrell Baron Lewis, a bull that de- feated his sire for the bull championship at an Indiana State Fair and was the first bull ever bred in Illinois that commanded a price of $3,000. Another Airdrie "nick" was the phe- nomenal Lady Bride, that sold for $2,850 and walked through the Illinois, Iowa and Missouri shows an undefeated heifer. Among the great Baron Booths out of llth Duke of Airdrie dams may be mentioned Louan Hill's 4th and 5th and Caroline 15th, all noted show animals. * Mr. Pickrell entered a competition at Canton, 111., in 1870, where $500 was offered for the best display of not less than ten nor more than twenty head. He had Baron Booth of Lancaster at one end of a string of eighteen head of nice cows and heifers and at the other end of the line had the Baron's l>est son, Baron Lewis. Mr. Dunlap of Jacksonville showed ten head and was awarded first prize. The relative values of the competing lots may be judged from the fact that Mr. Dunlap made a sale the following year at which his ten prize-winners brought a total of $2,700 and were con- sidered well sold at that. Mr. Pickrell sold Baron Lewis alone tor $3,000 and had his sire and eighteen cows and heifers left. CHAPTER XIII. THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM." While the breeders of the Central West were successfully extending the Short-horn power in the Upper Mississippi Valley States, largely through the medium of impressive show-yard displays, operations were under way in Eng- land and the East that were soon to stir the trade to its very depths. Prior to the appear- ance in the West of imp. Baron Booth of Lan- caster the Duke of Airdrie- crossed cattle — mainly of Alexander, Bedford, Renick, War- field, Van meter and Duncan origin — practi- cally held undisputed possession of the field. Aside from Gen. Grant there were but few great show cattle that did not carry some per- centage of the blood and show more or less of the character of the Woodburn Duke. Daniel McMillan of Ohio had, it is true, headed his show herd with the Canada-bred Plantagenet 6031, but that bull was got by Oxford Lad (24713), bred by J. 0. Sheldon of New York from imp. Duke of Airdrie's sire imp. Duke of Gloster (11382) out of a Bates Oxford cow, so that he also fell within the rule that the Bates- (377) 378 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. crossed Short-horns were the ruling ring-side power. The American-bred cows, with which the Bates blood had " nicked " so kindly, were possessed, as a rule, of sound constitution and ample scale, and among them were many ex- traordinary milkers. Some of them were more or less lacking in refinement of character. Un- der these circumstances it is easy to under- stand how the Bates cross acquired public fa- vor; the prepotent, fine-styled, level-lined bulls of that strongly-bred type stamping neatness and finish wherever their impressive seal was set. "Royal" honors for Bates cattle. — On the other side of the Atlantic, while Booth and Towneley had been doing most of the winning at the shows, certain wealthy and enthusiastic followers of the fortunes of the Bates-bred tribes had occasionally tried conclusions with their rivals at the National shows with good success. The Earl of Feversham was first at the Chester Royal of 1858 with 5th Duke of Oxford (12762).* At the Leeds Royal of 1861 Col. Grunter won high honors, gaining first in the cow class with Duchess 77th over animals shown by Richard Booth and Lady Pigot. He was also first in three-year-old heifers with *Speaking of this event Richard Gibson says: "This was my first Royal, and the impression left upon my mind by 5th Duke of Oxford has never been obliterated. He was larg-e and carried lots of flesh. The way he moved and the air of conscious superiority he assumed I have never forgotten." THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM." 379 Duchess 78th — twinned with Duchess 79th, thac was placed fourth in same class; Richard Booth's Soldier's Bride heing second. In year- ling heifers Gunter was first with Duchess 83d. It soon became evident, however, that the stock would not successfully withstand forcing for this purpose, and the show business was not persistently pursued. Gunter had started in 1853 with Duchesses 67th and 69th, both white, and Duchess 70th, red-and-white, and soon be- came the only possessor of the tribe in England. Duchesses exported to England. — In the spring of 1861 Samuel Thorne visited England and was besought on all sides for 'Duke and Oxford bulls. Accordingly, he sent over soon afterward the roan 3d Duke of Thorndale 2789, the roan 4th Duke of Thorndale 2790, the white 5th Duke of Thorndale 3488, the red Imperial Oxford 4905, and the heifer 4th Lady of Oxford. The 5th Duke sickened on the voyage and died in Queenstown harbor, but the rest sold quickly after landing at Liverpool at prices varying from 300 to 400 guineas each in gold. Of these the 4th Duke of Thorndale and Imperial Ox- ford acquired great celebrity in England as sires. The former was bought by Mr. Hales at 400 guineas and earned that amount in fees alone during the first two seasons. At Mr. Hales' sale in 1862 he was taken for the Mar- quis of Exeter at 410 guineas after a sharp con- 380 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. test with Col. Gunter, who subsequently ac- quired the bull (in 1867) at 440 guineas. He was maintained in service at Wetherby until his death at ten years of age in 1869. The 4th Duke was sired by Duke of Gloster (11382) out of Duchess 66th, and enjoyed with the 7th Duke of York (17754) the distinction that at tached at that time to the fact that the pair were the only "pure" Duchess bulls in Eng- land. Of his career abroad Mr. Thornton writes: " The stock left by this bull is not only numerous but valuable, showing the style and character for which the blood is remark- able. Probably no bull earned more money in single fees. In ap- pearance he was a fine-looking animal ; his head and crest were magnificent, his hind quarters long and good, but the tail-head was rather too high. His shoulders, which were perhaps a little upright, made him appear somewhat deficient behind them, and the great length of his quarters detracted from his middle. In hair, quality of flesh, and in grandeur of style and carriage he was wonderfully good." One of the 4th Duke of Thorndale's English- bred heifers from a Cambridge Rose dam gave rise to what is known as the Thorndale Roses, the original heifer of that name being sold pri- vately in 1864 for 200 guineas to Mr. Betts. Her half-sister, The Beauty, by Puritan (9523), for which Mr. Jonas Webb gave 160 guineas at the Cobham Park sale, was bought by Lord Braybrooke at Webb's sale of 1863 in calf with Heydon Rose, which in the hands of his lord- ship founded a costly family bearing her name. Nine descendants of The Beauty at the Webb * _ >' THE BIRTH OF A * BOOM. 381 sale made 1,253 guineas; one bull, Lord Chan- cellor (20160), afterward a Royal winner, bring- ing 400 guineas. Imperial Oxford was extensively used upon the Grand Duchesses, being the sire of the fa- mous Grand Duchess 17th. 4th Lady of Oxford also acquired renown, not only as a breeding animal, but in the show-yard as well. In 1862 Mr. Thorne sent to England Lord Oxford 3091, 2d Lord Oxford, Bishop of Oxford, and Duke of Geneva 3858 of J. 0. Sheldon's breeding. These also brought high prices, 600 guineas being ob- tained for the latter. The Duke entered the English show-yard with success and became very famous in the Bates Short-horn breeding ranks, dying the property of Lord Penrhyn in 1867. These shipments were followed by the exportation by Ezra Cornell* of Ithaca, N. Y., of the young bull 3d Lord of Oxford 4958, bred by Mr. Thorne; that also sold on the other side for 600 guineas. Early in the " sixties" Mr. R. A. Alexander exported to England 2d Duke of Airdrie (19600), 5th Duke of Airdrie (19601) and the * Mr. Cornell, who was the munificent founder of Cornell University, had made an importation of Bates cattle from England, in 1863, consisting- of two Fidget heifers (Bell-Bates), and a Kirklevington from C. W. Harvey. He maintained a herd of Short-horns for a number of years ; the pedigrees of most of which may be found in Vols. VIII to XVI of the herd book. Among other Eastern breeders who were becoming prominent in Short- horn breeding about this time were Messrs. A. B. Conger, T. L. Harison, George Butts and Messrs. Wadsworth of New York: Messrs. Winslow and A. W. Griswold of Vermont; Augustus Whitman of Massachusetts and B. Sunnier of Connecticut. 382 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. 6th Duke of Airdrie (19602). These all repre- sented outcrosses upon the Duchess tribe. The 2d Duke was a roan sired by the Duchess- crossed Booth 'bull imp. El Hakim (15984). He was calved in the fall of 1856 and in 1859 was awarded a $1,000 championship at the St. Louis Fair. He was a bull of marked excellence, and became the property in England of Messrs. C. Howard of Biddenham and J. Robinson of Clif- ton Pastures. The 5th Duke was also a roan, calved in the spring of 1859. He was sired by a bull called Lord Languish (20188), that had been bred at Woodburn from imp. 2d Duke of Athol and imp. Lydia Languish, by Duke of Gloster (11382); a cow that traced in the ma- ternal line to the herd of Mr. Robertson of Lady kirk. The 5th Duke was used by Mr. T. Barber of Sproatley Rise. The 6th Duke of Airdrie was a red, dropped in the spring of 1860 by 2d Duchess of Airdrie to a service by the white bull imp. Albion, son of imp. Grand Turk (12969) and Fawkes' Frances Fairfax. The breeding of these bulls and the fact of their ex- portation shows that the fashion for cattle bred strictly in the Bates line did not receive the countenance of the broad-minded proprietor of Woodburn, and that fresh blood in Mr. Bates' favorite family was not deemed an objection in the minds of at least a portion of the English Short-horn breeding public at that date. Imp. THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM." 383 Albion was also exported back to England along with these Dukes of Airdrie. The Grand Duchesses. — A very famous branch of the Duchess tribe, descended from Mr. Bates' Duchess 51st, had been founded in England under the name of Grand Duchesses. They originated with Mr. S. E. Bolden of Springfield Hall, Lancashire, who sought to correct what he regarded as the faults of the Bates type by means of fresh crosses. Accord- ingly he introduced extraneous blood through the medium of the bulls Cherry Duke (12589), Prince Imperial (15095) and 2d Duke of Bolton (12739). The two latter carried Booth blood; the Prince having for dam Bridecake of the Bliss tribe, and the latter running to Richard Booth's Fame. While the family attained great reputation, and produced some extraor- dinary individual animals, such as Grand Duke 3d (16182) and that remarkable cow Grand Duchess 17th, by Mr. Thome's Imperial Oxford (18084), some of the partisans of Bates breed- ing have strenuously denied that the outcrosses really did anything for the vitality of the stock. The fact nevertheless remains that in later years the so-called "pure" Duchesses became totally extinct, and had it not been for the Airdrie and Grand Duchesses, both of which carried Booth outcrosses, Mr. Bates' favorite family would have disappeared. 384 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Mr. Bolden had sold in 1860 twenty head of Bates Waterloos at an average of £92; Sir Cur- tis Lampson giving 165 guineas for Waterloo .20th. In 1862 he disposed of his entire herd, including the Grand Duchesses, to Mr. Ather- ton, who soon afterward parted with the Grand Duchess family, consisting of nine cows and four bulls, to Mr. Hegan of Dawpool at private sale for the lump sum of £5,000. Three of these cows proved barren, and after Mr. He- gan's death in 1865 the tribe — by that time numbering seventeen head, of which twelve were females and five bulls — sold at a memor- able auction held at Willis' rooms in London. The Thorndale bull Imperial Oxford had been used in the herd and was also included in this sale. It had been Mr. Hegan's desire to close the lot out as a whole, and it was understood that the Hon. Col. Pennant had offered £6,000 for the twelve females. This was perhaps the first case on record where cattle were sold at auction without the animals being in the pres- ence of the bidders. The stock had been pre- viously examined at Dawpool. The sale proved thoroughly sensational in many respects, as is shown by the comments of the London press at that time. From the Illustrated News we quote : " A perfect bridal lunch greeted the congress of about 120 lead- ing Short-horn men — peers, M. P.s, clergymen and laymen — who attended to see the great battle at Willis' rooms over the eighteen THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM." 385 Grand Dukes arid Duchesses. Lord Feversham was in the chair, supported by Gen. Hood (who came, like several other members of Council, direct from Hanover Square) , and the Bates men made up a most imposing array, while Mr. Torr and Mr. Thomas Booth were at the head of the great rival house of * the red, white and roan.* The noble chairman declared his Kirklevington faith in such unwavering fashion that the Booth men complained he ra- ther ignored Bridecake's share in the Grand Duchess pedigree." Mr. E. L. Betts of Preston Hall, Kent, bought the whole herd of Grand Duchesses, which were sold in "blocks of three." For the first trio he paid 1,900 guineas; for the second, 1,300 guin- eas; for the third, 1,800 guineas, and for the fourth, 1,200 guineas; also securing Imperial Oxford to accompany them at 450 guineas. The Grand Dukes were scattered; the Duke of Devonshire buying Grand Duke 10th at 600 guineas. The London Times said on the fol- lowing day: *"• The splendor of such an event almost pales the strongest blaze that can be got up by agricultural societies. There is no such test of value, no such triumph of enterprise as that which is obtained without shows and judges and prizes in the auction-room. Here is a p^ain commercial proof of what can be done and how far we have advanced upon our forefathers in the matter of kine." Mr. Betts, the new owner of the family, closed out his herd at auction in May, 1867. He had not been particularly successful. Grand Duchesses 10th, 12th and 14th ail died from indigestion and impaction resulting from the feeding of un decorticated cotton-seed cake. The 7th and 13th were slaughtered and his best bull calf of the tribe died just before the sale. Nevertheless some astonishing prices 386 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. were made; the thirteen head bringing 5,615 guineas, an average of 432 guineas. Grand Duchess 17th, described as "a beautiful cow with good ribs, mossy coat and splendid touch," was carried to 850 guineas, at which figure she was taken by Capt. R. E. Oliver of Sholebroke Lodge, who also secured the 18th at 710 guineas. C. H. Dawson gave 700 guineas for Grand Duch- ess 19th; Lord Penrhyn 550 guineas for Grand Duchess 8th, and Earl Spencer 430 guineas for Grand Duchess 20th. The highest price for a bull was 510 guineas, paid by Mr. Roberts for Grand Duke 16th (24063); Mr. A. Brogden giv- ing 305 guineas for Grand Duke 17th, Havering Park sale.— In May, 1867, Mr. D. Mclntosh of Havering Park, Essex, Eng., who had devoted himself successfully to the breed- ing of Bates cattle, held a sale that attracted widespread attention. 3d Duke of Thorndale and Grand Duke 4th had been largely used, and the sale included four descendants of Mr. Thome's Lady of Oxford 4th. Her daughter Lady of Oxford 5th, " a splendid roan, with much substance and quality," had been a winner as a calf at the Worcester Royal in 1863 and at this sale brought the top price of 600 guineas from the Duke of Devonshire. Baron Oxford, a two- year-old by the American-bred Duke of Geneva (19614), was eagerly competed for, falling to Col. Townelev at 500 guineas, while his half-brother THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM." 387 Baron Oxford 2d went to Mr. Holland at the same price. Sheldon of Geneva. — Mr. J. 0. Sheldon of White Spring Farm, Geneva, N, Y. (not Illi- nois, as certain English writers persist in put- ting it), upon whose shoulders fell the mantle of Samuel Thome, began breeding Short-horns by making the importation mentioned on page 274. A few years later he bought from Mr. Thorne the bull imp. Duke of Gloster (11382), Duchess 64th and her daughter 1st Duchess of Thorndale, together with Duchess 66th and her daughter Duchess 71st. In 1860 he bred from the latter the bull Duke of Geneva (19614), sold to Mr. Thorne and exported to England. Shel- don also secured some of the Oxford blood from Thorndale, and in 1860 bred from that family the bull Oxford Lad (24713), which acquired great reputation in the herd of the Hon. David Christie of Canada. Sheldon also bought large- ly from Mr. R. A. Alexander, securing a num- ber of the daughters of imp. Duke of Airdrie, among others the Victoria cow Vara (that be- came the flam of the noted stock bull Weehaw- ken 5260), and females of the Mazurka, Con- stance, Miss Wiley, Vellum, Jubilee, Lady Bates, Roan Duchess, Pearlette and other noted Wood- burn families. He also bought from Mr. Alex- ander the 7th Duke of Airdrie 5532. In 1866 Samuel Thorne decided to close out 388 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. his herd and devote his entire time to the leather trade in New York city, the business that had been his father's chief source of rev- enue, and Sheldon with characteristic shrewd- ness bought the entire Thorndale Herd of Duchesses, Oxfords, etc., at a reported price of about $40,000. This gave him a monopoly of the so-called "pure" Duchess blood in Amer- ica; and as the English landed proprietors, as well as prominent Kentucky breeders, were de- veloping a marked preference for Duke and Ox- ford bulls he now occupied a strong speculative position. Geneva cattle abroad,— In the fall of 1867 Mr. Sheldon exported to England two bulls and a heifer of the Duchess tribe, and six Ox- ford heifers. They were taken to the Queen's farm, Windsor Park, and sold at auction Oct. 15 of that year. After inspecting the Ameri- can cattle the company adjourned for business to the cafe of the Castle Hotel, where cham- pagne flowed freely, and for the first time in a long professional career Mr. Strafford, as auc- tioneer, sold cattle by candlelight. The white 7th Duchess of Geneva was knocked off to Mr. Leney of Kent at 700 guineas. In fact Leney was the chief bidder, and his persistency and activity added great zest to the proceedings. 8th Lady of Oxford and 6th Maid of Oxford were taken respectively by Col. Towneley at THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM." 389 450 and 400 guineas. Leney paid 300 guineas for 4th Maid of Oxford, Col. Kingscote 250 guineas for Countess of Oxford and Mr. Down- ing 200 guineas for 5th Maid of Oxford. Leney also paid 260 guineas for 7th Maid of Oxford. The young bull 12th Duke of Thorndale was very much out of condition and was bought in by Edwin Thorn e at 185 guineas,* but the roan 3d Duke of Geneva went to Mr. Mclntosh at 550 guineas. For the entire lot $1,6475 was obtained, an average of $1,830. The six Ox- fords averaged $1,550. When to the total the then existing premium on gold was added Sheldon had nearly $20,000 in American cur- rency, less the expenses of transportation. In commenting upon this result the London Illus- trated Neivs said: "People differ in opinion as to whether the American lots would have made most under the greenwood or around the ma- hogany tree; but the sale was unique in char- acter and served to stamp 1867 as an annus mirabilis in Short-horn history." In fact this invasion of England by Sheldon created some- thing of a sensation on both sides the water, f In 1869 Mr. E. H. Cheney of Gaddesby Hall bought from Mr. Sheldon the two-year-old heifer llth Duchess of Geneva, the yearling * 12th Duke of Thorndale afterward became the property of D. R. Davies of Mere Old Hall. t London Punch took up the affair and dror^ed into verse under the caption, "The G-olden Short-horns." 390 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. 14th Duchess of Geneva and the bull calf 9th Duke of Geneva for the lump sum of $12,500; and at the same time the roan bull calf 8th Duke of Geneva was exported to Messrs. Har- ward & Downing at $4,000. Walcott & Campbell.— While Mr. Sheldon was thus acquiring international position in the Short-horn trade Messrs. Walcott & Camp- bell, proprietors of the extensive New York Mills Sheeting Factories, on the Mohawk River, some two miles north of Utica, had laid the foundation of the herd that was destined to confound the agricultural world. The Hon. S Campbell of this firm was a native of Ayrshire, Scotland, who, from working at the loom, be- came superintendent and eventually partner in the great cotton mills mentioned. In ac- quiring water privileges for the mills it had been necessary to purchase some 1,400 acres of rich bottom land, which the firm desired to put to some profitable use. The idea of cattle- breeding suggested itself, and Mr. Campbell's early instincts inclined him naturally to the dairy breed of his native county. He first turned his attention, therefore, to Ayrshires, in partnership with Mr. James Brodie, a Scotch- man who had also imported, in connection with a Mr. Hungerford, a few Short-horns, among which were two cows and a bull from the herd of J. Mason Hopper. These cattle THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM." 391 had a double cross of Belleville (6778) and were superior specimens. Mr. Campbell bought Hunger ford's interest and eventually acquired Brodie's. Kichard Gibson was employed as manager of the farm and cattle, and speaking of the trans- action just mentioned says: " By this deal Mr. Campbell became possessed of Short-horns, for which he had no love at the time, and I doubt if he ever had. It was only the calves that he cared for Of an Ayrshire he was a fair judge, and as they were a paying investment in supplying milk to the operatives they were looked upon with a great deal more favor by the proprietor than were their swell relatives the Short-horns. ' Gibson, what good are they? They give no milk; just one mass of blubber; you can't eat them.' This idea of a cow simply raising a calf was preposterous, just as among the opera- tives every child must work, and usually the mother as well. So it is easy to understand that in this community of busy workers no drones were allowed, and the Short-horn cow at rest in the rich pastures of the Mohawk Valley, negligently chewing her cud, was entirely out of keeping with the surroundings. Why should the patrician English cattle live in purple and fine linen? They weaved not, neither did they spin ! " The remark quoted came in response to my question as to what bull to breed the Short-horn cows to. I was led to make this inquiry on seeing the men take out the Ayrshire bull to the Short-horn cow imp. Rosamond. My ire arose. No more such sacrilege was permitted, but it was some months before I could persuade Mr. Campbell to allow me to buy a bull. I eventually secured Weehawken, bred by J. O. Sheldon. Upon this bull hinged the destiny of the breed so far as the Mills was concerned. He proved a most impressive sire, and as his progeny developed his value became more established, and yearly the treasury of the New York State Agricultural Association was laid under contri- bution. After returning from one of our successful trips Mr. Campbell put the situation in this way: ' Now I find your things ' (he always called them ' Gibson's things ' up to a certain time) ' are giving us notoriety. We must either get rid of them or go in deeper. I don't ask your opinion ; I know what that will be; but this I ask, can we take as high a position with Short-horns as we 392 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. h"»ve done with Ayrshires? Remember, I will play second to none.' My reply was: 'You can't unless you can persuade Mr. Sheldon to sell his herd, which I feel sure he will not do. But you can do this: go on the opposition tack and buy Booths and beat him in the ring wherever he shows.' " Gibson* was quite familiar with the extraordi- nary show-yard career of Booth Short-horns in England and had not failed to notice the sensa- tion created on this side the water by Mr. Coch- rane's importation of Baron Booth of Lancas- ter and Rosedale. He accordingly had a long conversation with Mr. Campbell, explaining that there were then practically no Booth Short-horns in America, and it was decided that Gibson should go to England at once and make purchases of cattle of that blood. This was in 1869 ; and the events that followed may best be understood by a brief digression at this point. First Hillhurst importations. — Hon. M. H. Cochrane of Hillhurst Farm, Quebec, Can., was prominent among those enterprising men who * Mr. Gibson was born in England in 1840, almost beneath the shadow of Belvoir Castle, the seat of the Duke of Rutland. Educated at the gram- mar schools of Derby and Lincoln he entered a grain merchant's office for a period of two years, after which he studied closely for four years the farming methods of his father, who had gained various prizes for the best cultivated farm in Derbyshire. Speaking of his early life Mr. Gibson says : "My father always kept a pure-bred bull. The first I remember was a son of Eavl of Dublin, the white Princess bull used by Sir C. Knightley ; and the first noted bull I recollect was the same Earl of Dublin. The farm reeked of Short-horns, as it was occupied by Mr. Smith, a purchaser at Ceilings' sale, and a member of the Dishley Club. The old men talked of Lancaster and Comet, and the yarns when shearing sheep, etc., fell on ears whose sensitive organism was receptive to the quaint language and enthusiasm of the illiterate but observant herdsman." One of a family of fourteen chil- dren and the eldest of eight sons he determined upon arriving afcthe age of THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM.'' 393 contributed largely to the great expansion in Short-horn trade and values that set in just prior to 1870. It was in 1867 that he began his memorable series of importations. The in- itial shipment, selected by the late Simon Beat- tie, consisted of two of the greatest show-yard celebrities known to American Short-horn his- tory, to-wit.: Baron Booth of Lancaster, al- ready referred to, and the wonderful Booth twenty-one to seek his fortune-in America. He landed at Quebec in 1861 and for two years following worked at farming in Ontario, after which he re- ceived an appointment as manager for Mr. Delamater, a shipbuilder of New York, who owned a 1,500-acre farm on Long Island. After two years' serv- ice in this capacity he was employed by Mr. Campbell to manage the farms at New York Mills. He retained this responsible position until about one year prior to the great closing-out sale of the herd, subsequently engaging in Canada in the importing and exporting trade on his own account, and afterward purchasing his present farm of Belvoir, where, after a remark- able experience in connection with the international trade in pedigreed live stock, he still resides. In the course of his eventful career Mr. Gibson has crossed the Atlan tic more than tkirty times, usually on business relating to the live-stock trade, and has enjoyed the acquaintance of a majority of the most promi- nent Short-horn breeders of his time. He has been a frequent contributor to the agricultural press and has served as an expert judge of many differ- ent varieties of live stock at the leading shows of North America, besides being President of the Dominion Short-horn Breeders' Association and of the Dominion Kennel Club. Like Jorrocks of old he is a thorough believer in the efficacy of "a bit o' blood, whether it be in a 'orse, a 'ound' or any other of the many four-footed or feathered pets by which Anglo-Saxons of rural tastes love to surround themselves. One of the most companionable of men, fond of a good dinner and a good story, an admirable raconteur him- self, he is never so happy as when living again in retrospect the stirring scenes of which he has been a witness, and-his wealth of cattle lore is ever at the service of those who share his interest in the great achievements of the rare old worthies of the past. Mr. Gibson belongs to a remarkable family „ His brother John T. was manager for Col. William S. King when Lyndale was in its prime, and was subsequently manager for J. J. Hill of North Oaks. Another brother, Wil- liam, was manager of the Niagara Herd of Mr. Bronson C. Rumsey of Buf- falo, N. Y. Still another brother, Arthur, is manager for Mr. Philo L. Mills of Buddington Hall, Nottingham, Eng., and a fifth brother, Charles, is his assistant. A sixth member of the family, Edwin, is in Australia, and Fred is in India. 394 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. cow Rosedale, bred by Lady Pigot. Along with Rosedale came her bull calf Capt. Alton 6512. Baron Booth went into the West to win imperishable renown in the herd of Mr. Pick- rell, and Rosedale soon afterward followed; being purchased by Col. William S. King of Minneapolis, in whose hands she proved the sensation of her time. In 1868 Mr. Cochrane imported eleven head, four of which were of Bates breeding and the remainder of Booth blood from the herds of William Torr and R. S. Bruere. He resolved to be "in" on the Duchess proposition as well as the trade in show stock of Booth deriva- tion, and bought from Col. Gunter of Wetherby Grange, Yorkshire, the yearling heifer Duchess 97th for $5,000*— the highest price up to that date ever paid for a cow or heifer of any breed; and from C. W. Harvey of Walton-on-the-Hill? Liverpool, the young Bates cow Wild Eyes 26th and her bull calf. Meantime he had secured from Sheldon the 1 1th Duke of Thorndale. This shipment is notable not only for the purchase of the Duchess heifer at a startling price but as having included the roan bulls Robert Napier 8975 and Star of the Realm 11021; the former bred by Mr. Torr, descending from Booth's Anna, and the latter bred by Mr. Bruere from his * This was the first Duchess female Gunter had parted with up to 1868. He had refused in 1865 an offer from Mr. Betts of 1,000 guineas for Duchess 84th and her heifer calf Duchess 92d. THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM." 395 Vesper tribe. We have already alluded to the great impression made by Baron Booth of Lan- caster upon the breeders of the Central West, and quick appreciation of the value of these Booth bulls was shown in another quarter. William Warfield became the owner of Robert Napier* and A. J.Alexander, who had succeeded to the ownership of Woodburn upon the death of his brother, R. A. Alexander — which occurred Dec. 1, 1867— took Star of the Realm. In 1869 Mr. Cochrane made two importa- tions, one in June and one in August. These were practically all Booth-crossed stock, from the herds of such successful adherents of the house of Booth in Great Britain as Messrs. R. Chaloner of King's Fort, Ireland; T. E. Pawlett of Beeston. T. Barnes of Westland, Ireland; Torr of Aylesby and Hugh Aylmer of West Dereham Abbey, Norfolk. One of the bulls, the roan Torr-bred Gen. Napier 8199, was bought by Col. William S. King, the owner of Rose- dale, who was easily the most daring operator of the day in the Western States. The time seemed ripe, therefore, for New *Mr. Warfield says: "Robert Napier was a large bull of great scale and weight, but not what I would call a very fine bull, neither was he a uniform breeder. His calves— Bertha (Vol. XV, page 447), Loudon Duchess 6th (Vol. XI, page 838), 3d Gem of Grasmere (Vol. XXI, page 6527), Loudon Duke 12th 23847, and Bridesmaid (Vol. XXII, page 17075)— were as fine ani- mals as I ever bred. He received an injury on being shipped to the fairs on the railroad, which I believe was permanent. I gave him to a neighbor and I think he finally fell into the hands of Mr. Dean, Maryville, Mo." Another fine daughter of this bull, bred by Mr. Warfield, was Lucy Napier, bought and ehown by J. H. Pickrell. 396 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. York Mills to follow Gibson's advice and go gunning for Sheldon with Booth weapons. Gibson buys Booths for New York Mills.— T. C. Booth of Warlaby was now at the cli- max of his show-yard renown. Commander- in-Chief (21415) and the marvelous Lady Fra- grant had been champions of the breed at the Leicester Royal of 1868.* While the Bates men had forced prices for their favorites to a high point Warlaby also had a powerful following throughout the United Kingdom, and nothing but very tempting offers would induce Mr. Booth to part with any of his best cattle to come to America. Mr. Gibson had not gone so far, however, for the purpose of purchasing in- ferior specimens, and at the handsome figure of $5,000 secured the great roan heifer Bride of the Vale, sired by Lord of the Valley (14837) out of the famous Soldier's Bride. He also bought the roan bull calf Royal Briton (27351), .bred at Warlaby from Lord Blithe (22126), tra- cing through Crown Prince to Bride Elect. From the same noted nursery of show-yard champions came the roan heifer Merry Peal, by Commander-in-Chief, and the white heifer White Rose, by Mountain Chief. From R. Chaloner, King's Fort, Ireland, he bought the *The last appearance of the Booths at the English Royal was at Man- chester in 1869, upon which occasion Lady Fragrant was champion female and Earl of Derby (21638), bred and shown by Wiley of Brandsby, was cham- pion bull. THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM." 397 white heifer Fair Maid of Hope and her bull calf King of the Ocean. Four other heifers were also selected, included among them being the white Knightley heifer Lady Oxford. Hill- hurst had already set the pace. The price paid for Bride of the Vale ($5,000) was fixed by the fact that Gunter had just obtained that unpre- cedented figure from Mr. Cochrane for a Duch- ess heifer. The Booths were quite as proud of their reputation and prestige as were the fol- lowers of the fortunes of Thomas Bates, and Warlaby females were quite as difficult to ob- tain as were specimens of the Duchess tribe. It had been Mr. Booth's settled policy not to sell females to contemporary British breeders to be retained in England. He had permitted Mr. Bolden to send out a shipment to Austra- lia, and we believe that a Christon heifer had been sold to Mr. B. St. John Ackers of Prink- nash Park, who was a distant relative. At that time, however, this tribe had not been admit- ted into full fellowship with the time-honored Booth Short-horn strains. Aside from these transactions Bride of the Vale and Merry Peal were, we believe, the only heifers Mr. Booth had parted with for breeding purposes, and they were only sold with the understanding that they were to be taken to America. Tn 1870 ten head were imported, including the Christon heifers Patricia and Minaret. In 398 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. this lot were two heifers from Torr's Waterloo tribe and the roan Baron Oxford's Beauty from Col. Towneley's. This shipment experienced cold weather at sea, but the day the cattle landed in New York harbor the thermometer registered 105 deg. in the shade. Poor Patri- cia, for which $5,000 had been paid, succumbed to the heat on shipboard before the cattle could be landed. Had the rest not been carefully handled after unloading other losses would doubtless have occurred. Gibson had them hauled from the dock to the railway freight-yard in canopy-covered "lorries," with a big sponge tied on top of the head of each animal and a boy alongside of each cow to apply cold water. In this way they were safe- ly started for the farm. The Mills now had indeed the nucleus of a herd which might well set Bates men thinking. Cochrane and Simon Beattie in Canada were at this time attracting the attention of the trade on both sides of the water by their extensive importations of Booth -crossed stock, and it really began to look as if that type might at last become a formidable rival of the Bates tribes in the New World. Sensational transfer of the Sheldon herd. — Sheldon was nothing if not shrewd, and soon scented danger in the Booth propaganda with such backers in the East as Walcott & Camp- THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM." 399 bell, Simon Beattie and M. H. Cochrane, and such sympathizers in the West as the influen- tial breeders already mentioned. He resolved, therefore, to make terms with the New York Mills management, and offered to sell Mr. Campbell one-half of the Geneva herd. This was in 1869. Mr. Gibson advised that the pur- chase be jnade. Mr. Campbell replied: "But you don't know the price." The imperturbable Gibson rejoined: " Never mind that. Buy" The price was a big one, and the herd was to be divided by a process of alternate selection. Sheldon secured first choice in the "toss up," and picked 12th Duchess of Geneva. The se- lection proceeded until Mr. Sheldon had, in ad- dition to the 12th, the 4th Duchess of Geneva and the 10th, 12th and 13th Duchesses of Thorndale. Walcott & Campbell got the 6th, 8th and 13th Duchesses of Geneva and the 3d and 9th Duchesses of Thorndale. Of the Ox- fords Sheldon secured 6th Lady, 3d Maid, 2d Countess and Gem of Oxford. Gibson took the 7th and 10th Ladys and 2d Maid. The entire lot was gone over in the same fashion, and the 4th Duke of Geneva, then at the head of the herd, was retained in common. Further- more, it was agreed that no Oxford or Duchess female was to be sold by either party until the other had the first option. The Duchesses had 400 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. cost Walcott & Campbell an average of $5,500 each and the Oxfords $2,800 each. Immediately after this division of the herd Sheldon began stocking up again and within a year his stables were found full to overflowing. He, of course, looked to Walcott & Campbell to buy the entire outfit. He was playing the Duchess game for all there was in it. The New York Mills people declined to be baited, however, in any such wholesale manner. They were perfectly willing to take the Duchesses and Oxfords, but this did not suit Sheldon. The facts as to the deal which finally resulted in their transfer to Walcott & Campbell in 1870 are set forth by Mr. Gibson in the follow- ing language . "Sheldon had not filled his barn for naught. A deadlock en- sued. James Wadsworth was nibbling, Col. King of Minnesota was after them and so was Cochrane of Canada. A sale cata- logue was then circulated and date arranged. Walcott & Camp- bell's hands were forced and they were obliged to buy in self-de- fense. The lot was taken, fifty females and fourteen bulls, at a round $100,000, with interest at 6 per cent until paid. Now Mr. Campbell, though born an alien, had confidence in the Govern- ment's pledges to pay. Mr. Sheldon was a Democrat and guessed otherwise. Gold was about 160 and the agreement was that when the settlement was made it was to be on the basis of gold as quoted on the day of sale. Result : $60,000 paid the original debt of $100,000. Mr. Campbell could have paid at time of purchase just as well as not, but preferred waiting under the circum- stances and therein got a chance to 'even up' with Mr. Sheldon." "Duke" bulls in demand.— Thorne and Shel- don's European trade had served as a great advertisement for the Thorndale and Geneva THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM/' 401 stock. The Kentuckians, naturally predisposed to favor the Duchess proposition by reason of their satisfactory experience with the kindred Woodburn blood, contributed to the upbuild- ing of the " boom." Edwin Bedford had bought 2d Duke of Geneva 5562, and during his brief career that bull made a distinct "hit," as stated on page 305. Mr. Bedford then got the 5th Duke at $3,000. Col. King of Minnesota se- cured the 6th at the same price. In 1869 Mr. Alexander took the 10th Duke of Thorndale (28458) from Sheldon at $5,500. A. W. Gris- wold of Vermont had given $3,000 for the 14th Duke of Thorndale (28459) as a calf, and in 1869 George M. Bedford purchased him at $6,000. The 8th and 9th Dukes of Geneva had gone at $4,000 each, and Cochrane had the llth. The Bates tribes were now (1870) firmly held by powerful interests on both sides the Atlan- tic. Walcott & Campbell, after their prelimi- nary flirtation with the Booths, had gone into the Duchess speculation,* and this gave the Kirklevington sorts a prestige that needed only the great sale at New York Mills to fairly stampede America to the Bates colors. Mean- time the West was aroused to action by the an- nouncement of a dispersion sale of the entire herd of Mr. McMillan of Ohio, and as this was •The New York Mills Booth cattle were afterward sold to M~. Coch- rane, who sent some of them back to England. 26 402 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. the opening gun in a most extraordinary era of auction sales in America the event will be noticed in detail. The McMillan sale.— Mr. Daniel McMillan of Oakland Farm, Xenia, 0., had for many years been breeding Short-horns descended from the Ohio and Kentucky importations. He had been a frequent exhibitor at the lead- ing fairs of the West, and the herd was one of the best known in the United States. Indeed Mr. McMillan was the first breeder north of the Ohio River to cross swords with the Ken- tuckians in their own show-yards. This event occurred in 1869. The herd was at that time headed by Plantagenet 6031, but Mr. War- field's Muscatoon defeated this bull in the class showing: In the herd competition, however, the McMillan cattle prevailed.* The great •The best of the McMillan show herds had been fitted by James Lyall, a Scotchman, who had come to America in 1856 as an assistant in connection with the ill-fated shipment of Short-horns made that year via New Orleans by Alex. Barrett of Henderson, Ky. The ship experienced a tempestuous passage, being nearly six weeks at sea, and all of the Short- horns but two were lost, included among those that perished being the famous Douglas show cow Queen of Trumps, by Belleville (6778), for which 500 guineas had been paid. Lyall's father was at this time herdsman in the old country for Douglas of Athelstaneford, so that the young man had been reared to the cattle business. He remained with Barrett four years, going to McMillan in 1863. The show bull G-en. Grant was then a yearling. Mr. Lyall fitted the show herds for their most successful campaigns, as well as for this closing-out sale, after which he was identified with the noted herds of George Murray Of Racine, Col. William S. King and others. Unfortunately the show bull Plantagenet and the great cow Louan 13th had been lost shortly before the sale. Plantagenet was a very massive bull of imposing presence, a bull of more substance than Gen. Grant, al- though a bit rough at the tail-head, and not so good in his Quarters. THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM/' 403 prices that were now current in England and the East stimulated the rapidly-rising in- terest in Short-horns throughout the entire Union, and it was indeed an historic gathering that assembled at Oakland on the morning of the 8th of June, 1870. Practically all of the leading breeders and exhibitors, not only of the East but of the West, were present. The cattle were tied in line along a fence for exam- ination, and here for the first time the Short- horn breeding fraternity of America may be said to have actually assembled, all former auctions having been more or less local in their character. The sale was held in a grove and no seats were provided for the company. This did not detract, however, from the complete success of the occasion, as the bidding was active and spirited from start to finish. Following is the list of females sold for $500 or over: Mignonette,* red show cow ; sired by Gen. Grant out of his own dam, Jessie-C. C. & R. H. Parks, Waukegan, 111. .$3,800 4th Louan of Oakland, yearling heifer; by 3d Duke of Geneva 5562— J. C. Jenkins, Petersburg, Ky 3,650 Louan 21st, t eight-year-old show cow, bred by Jere Duncan; sired by Duke of Airdrie 2743— Geo. Murray, Racine, Wis. 3,600 * Mignonette, it will be observed, was incestuously bred. She was a very fine show heifer as a yearling and two-year-old, but grew too " lumpy " for the show-yard and did no good as a breeder. She was sold by Messrs. Parks immediately after the sale to George Murray at $4,000. t Louan 21st was the best of her family in the herd at this time, although in the opinion of Herdsman Lyall not so good a cow as old Jessie, the dam of Gen. Grant. He describes Jessie as a red of great scale, with good head, excellent quarters and fine quality, altogether the best cow that Mr. Me Millan had ever owned, although inclined to be up on legs. 404 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Wenona, red show cow, tracing to imp. Louisa; sired by Gen. Grant— W. J. Neely, Ottawa, 111 $3,000 Forest Queen, red two-year-old; by Plantagenet— George Murray 2,800 Louan 35th, red show cow; by Duke of Airdrie 2743— E. G. Bedford, Kentucky. 2,625 Highland Lady, roan cow, bred by J. M. Hill, Illinois; sired by imp. King Alfred (3053) , dam White Lady, bought by Mr. McMillan at the Hill sale already mentioned— J. H. Spears, Tallula, 111. 2,075 6th Louan of Oakland,* red show heifer; by Plantagenet — George Murray 2,000 Louan 23d, roan show cow; by Lord Derby— A. J. Dunlap, Galesburg, 111 1,750 Louan 39th, red cow ; by Duke of Airdrie 2743— T. J. Megib- ben, Cynthiana, Ky 1,650 Linda Belle 2d, red show heifer; by Plantagenet— J. H. Spears 1,525 6th Duchess of Oakland, red-and-white three-year-old ; by Plantagenet— George Gregg, Beech ville, Can 1,500 7th Duchess of Oakland, red two-year-old ; by Plantagenet - James Fullington, Union Co., O 1,400 Flora Belle 3d, roan yearling— J. H. Spears 1,325 Magenta, red heifer calf; by Plantagenet, dam Clinton Lady — J. H. Spears 1,105 Oxford Duchess, red cow— W. M. Baines, Metamora, Ind. . . 1,075 Fannie Hunt, red three-year-old ; dam Anna Hunt, of Mr. Warfield's breeding— A. J. Dunlap 1,025 Myrtle, roan twelve-year-old cow; by imp. Starlight (12146) —James Fullington 1,005 Anna Clark, red-and-white cow, bred by C. M. Clark — Mil- ton Briggs, Newton, la 950 Eudora 2d, red heifer; by Plantagenet— B. H. Campbell, Batavia, 111 910 Clinton Lady, red nine-year-old cow — Jesse Hagler, Fayette Co., O 850 Louan of Oakland, red cow — Milton Briggs 800 * Lyall, who had been consulted by Mr. Murray as to what to buy, and who afterward entered the employ of Mr. Murray, tried to induce him to take the 4th Louan instead of the 6th, as the former was a good one and Louan 6th was slack in her loin and never could make a cow. This advice, however, was not followed. It has been generally believed that Mr. Mur- ray really bought what stock he wanted privately, before the sale, and iiicl it passed through the rinsr. THE BIRTH OF A k' BOOM." 405 Louan 12th, red eleven-year-old cow — R. G. Dun, London, O. $800 Rosa Bonheur, red-roan three-year-old—James Fullington . . 750 Emma 2d, red cow— B. H. Campbell 730 Anna Eggleston, red cow— Thomas Kirk, Fayette Co., O 730 10th Belle Republic, red cow— Milton Briggs 700 141st Belle Republic, red cow— Milton Briggs 700 3d Louan of Oakland, roan two-year-old — J. W. Armstrong, Deer Park, 111 600 Honey Bud, roan two-year-old— B. H. Campbell 300 Oxford Queen, heifer calf; by Plantagenet— J. W. Arm- strong 560 Vain Lady, red two-year-old ; by Gen. Grant— B. H. Camp- bell . . 525 Minna Watson, roan heifer calf — H. B. Sherman, Toledo, O. 525 May Day, red-and- white cow— B. H. Campbell 525 Bride of Greenwood, red-and-white, bred by David Selsor— George Gregg, Canada 525 Emma Palmer, red-and-white cow, twelve years old; by imp. Warrior (12287)— Thomas Kirk, Fayette Co., O. ... 500 Eudora, roan cow — Charles Hook, Xenia, O 500 Oneota, cow ; by Duke of Airdrie 2743— Jesse Hagler 500 4th Belle Republic, roan cow— Milton Briggs 500 Of the bulls Royal Oakland, a red two-year- old by Plantagenet out of Mignonette, brought the highest price, $1,300, from James Fulling- ton. This bull had been winner of first prize at the Ohio State Fair of 1868, and stood at the head of the breeders' herd at the same show in 1869. He was resold the next day for $2,000. The rest of the bulls ranged in price from $75 for old Oxford Lad up to $825 for Royal Lad— a yearling by Plantagenet. The entire herd brought $63,980, an average of $864.60. Twen- ty-four head went to Illinois at $23,625, twen- ty-five head to Ohio at $13,265, six head to Iowa at $4,350, six head to Kentucky at $11,090 and three to Wisconsin at $8,400. 406 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Col. William S. King. — One of the most in- terested spectators at the McMillan sale was Col. William S. King of Minneapolis, Minn., who was one of the first to introduce Short- horns into the Northwest and whose lavish in- vestments in show and breeding stock contrib- uted so largely to the development of a taste for Short-horn breeding in the Western States. The controlling motive in the establishment of his Lyndale Herd was the improvement of the cattle stocks of the Northwest. Short-horns were but little known in Minnesota even while Brown, Pickrell, Duncan, McMillan, Spears and their contemporaries were fighting their earlier show-yard battles in Illinois. Col. King was himself without special knowledge of them at that time, and indeed began his work by an unavailing effort to introduce Ayrshires among the farmers of the Northwest. Reared in the stock-growing and dairy region of Northern Central New York his thoughts naturally re- verted first to the herds of the Empire State and he has given us an amusing account of how his attention became first diverted from the Ayrshires to the Short- horns and as to how his first purchase was received upon arrival at St. Paul in 1867. In the autumn of that year he visited the J. 0. Sheldon herd at Geneva, N. Y., and was captivated by it. One of the Duchesses had just dropped a bull calf— the THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM." 407 5th Duke of Geneva — which he contracted for at $3,000; but before the youngster was shipped Sheldon arranged for an exchange of the 5th Duke to Edwin G. Bedford of Ken- tucky for the 6th Duke of Geneva.* In 1869 Col. King added by purchase from the Sheldon herd a Bloom, two G Wynnes, a Mazurka, and several other females, including Constance 6th, *"I took occasion on one of my frequent trips east to visit the New York Mills Herd of Ayrshires, which was then reputed to be the finest of the kind in the United States. It was on that occasion that I first met both Mr. Campbell and Richard Gibson and formed an acquaintance with the lat ter which led to many later business transactions between us and a friend- ship which still exists and has been to me a source of much pleasure. But to my story. Telling Mr. Campbell the purpose of my visit the old gentle- man left his business office and walked with me to the barn, where, calling for Gibson, he ordered out for review his Scottish pets, which Gibson began to assemble from the various small lots adjoining the barns and yards. While standing on the platform of the barn looking at the Ayr- shires there was a great crash near by, and looking in that direction I saw a young Short-horn bull about eighteen months old which had dashed through a partly opened gate to an adjoining yard and with head and tail erect stood before us a living picture of animal beauty. 'What's that? ' said I to Mr. Campbell. 'Oh, that's one of Gibson's things, a Short-horn, but I don't think much of them,' was the reply. But a friend who had accom panied me to inspect the herd turned to me and said: 'Colonel, that's the kind of stock you want for the West. Your Western people will never be satisfied with these Ayrshire cattle.' Mr. Campbell was evidently nettled at this remark and replied: 'Then the people of the West don't know what is best for them.' Truth compels me to say that I was a little nettled my- self. It was Ayrshires that I 'went out to see '; Ayrshires that I had fully decided were to be my instruments in the work of stock and dairy reform in Minnesota, and the result was that before leaving the barn I had picked out a small number of young Ayrshire heifers and a yearling bull and ar- ranged for their shipment. Before I left, however, Gibson found an oppor- tunity to whisper in my ear: 'You will make no mistake if you take the advice of your friend and take along a few Short-horns.' So just as we were about leaving I turned to Mr. Campbell and asked: 'What will you price me that young bull for? ' 'Oh, if you want him you may have him for $100,' was the reply. 'Why, Mr. Campbell,' spoke up Gibson quickly, 'Mr Sheldon would never sell such a bull as that for a cent less than $400 ' 'No matter, said Mr. Campbell, 'if Mr. King wants him for $100 he can have him.' ' Take him,' said my friend decidedly; ' he will be worth more to you than all the Ayrshires on this farm.' I took the bull, and with him two or three young heifers of the same strain of blood, all, I think, by Weehawken 408 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. which latter proved to be the most profitable cow ever owned at Lyndale. Such was the foundation. These Sheldon cattle were shown at the Minnesota State Fair of 1869 and at- tracted much favorable notice although not in high condition. Meantime the proprietor had been a visitor at some of the important shows elsewhere, and realizing that his stock could not hope to cope successfully with the great show herds of Illinois, Ohio and Kentucky he determined to bring all the resources of large from dams of the Rosamond, or Mason blood. And thus began my Short- horn purchases. Whether Gibson put up a job to have that Short-horn bull appear on the stage at that particular moment I do not venture to assert, but that his appearance at that time had much to do in shaping my future course as a breeder is a solid fact. "When advised by telegraph that the boat on which the stock was shipped frdm La Crosse would reach St. Paul at a given hour I was on hand to receive them. When the passengers had disembarked the cattle were led off, the Ayrshires first being unloaded. Among the crowd of levee loungers who were ' watching out ' to see what was going on was one tall, lank, uncouth-looking chap who eyed my little Ayrshires with great apparent curiosity, and finally addressing me he broke out: ' I say, Mister, what do you call them are critters there?' 'Young Ayrshires,' was the short reply. 'Young wharf rats,' he rejoined, and added: 'I say, Mister, you'll have to look out or them little critters will crawl through the cracks of your barn floor and you'll lose 'em.' Too indignant to reply to this gross insult put upon my beautiful young Ayrshires I turned away from the fel- low just as the young Short-horn bull was being led off the boat, when my tormentor, espying him, broke out again: 'I say, Mister, there comes a critter something like what a critter should be. I know that kind myself.' ' What kind of a critter do you call that? ' some one standing by inquired, 'Why,' said this expert judge of live stock, 'that's a Devon. I've seen hundreds of them cattle down in Maine 'fore I ever came West.' Offended pride and patience could stand no more, and sharply turning upon this critic I said to him: ' Young man, that bull don't come anywhere as near being a Devon as you do to being a natural-born jackass.' The fellow turned a half-pitying, half-offended look upon me as though debating in his own mind whether I was really as big a fool as he evidently rated me, or whether it was his duty to resent in some effective way my ill manners in thus characterizing his pedigree, but finally strolled off into the crowd while I headed my young bovine pilgrims for Minneapolis, where I soon had them safely and comfortably housed in their humble quarters," THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM." 409 means to bear upon the acquisition of animals of such character as would enable him to break a lance with the leading showmen of the day. He had heard of Baron Booth of Lancaster and of Rosedale, and following Mr. Pickrell's example visited Mr. Cochrane's. The Lyndale show herd. — At Hillhurst he saw and bought the great Rosedale, imp. Queen of Diamonds and Maid of Atha, of William Miller's breeding. This was a grand founda- tion for a show herd, but no bull of the requi- site character could be found, and a two-year- old heifer and yearling were also needed. The Colonel's ambition was now thoroughly aroused, and with characteristic enterprise and liberal- ity he gave Mr. Cochrane and Simon Beattie carte blanche to select and bring out from Great Britain the best animals money could buy in the United Kingdom to fill out the herd. About this same time Mr. John Gibson (brother to Richard, then at New York Mills) was engaged to take general charge of the Lyndale Herd. The McMillan dispersion occurred while Col. King's agents were looking for show cattle abroad. This was the first auction sale of cat- tle he had ever attended, and like all others who were present upon that occasion he was fairly carried away by the excitement and en- thusiasm of the day. It was here that he met Lyall, McMillan's herdsman, and engaged him 410 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. to undertake the detailed training of the show herd then in progress of formation. Beattie arrived Aug. 2, 1870, .with the im- ported cattle. He had brought out forty head altogether, including the bulls Scotsman 10951 and Old Sain 10551, both two years old, and a pair of roan two-year-old show heifers — Booth's Lancaster and Countess of Yarborough — for Col. King's examination. The bulls were both good ; in fact so evenly balanced that it seemed impossible to make choice between them. Af- ter extended deliberation, however, in which Messrs. Beattie, Cochrane, King and Gibson all participated, they decided to make their stand with Scotsman. He was a roan, bred by the Duke of Buccleuch and sired by Royal Errant 22780 (the sire of the dam of the afterward cele- brated imp. Duke of Richmond) out of Comet by Lord Stanley (18275). Even more difficulty was experienced in trying to choose between the two heifers. They were both grand thick- fleshed specimens and in beautiful bloom. Booth's Lancaster was a great "chunk" — full sister in blood to Baron Booth of Lancaster — being by same sire out of one of the celebrated triplet daughters of Lord Raglan from the cow Lancaster 25th, bred by Mr. Cruickshank. The Countess was bred by Dudding from Baron Rosedale (21239), a bull out of the dam of Rose- dale. The Lyndale people were afraid that if THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM." 411 they left either of these. at Hillhurst there would be grave danger of meeting the other later on in hostile hands at the Western shows. There was but one safe thing to do ; buy them both. No yearling had been bought, but hear- ing of Rosedale's last calf, Rosedale Duchess, her purchase was decided upori without the formality of an examination ; the price being $5,500. She proved a disappointment. In Col. King's expressive language, " richly worth about 5 per cent of the price paid." En route to Minnesota Scotsman developed a case of foot-and-mouth disease, which necessi- tated his being quarantined at Lyndale, and in spite of the most careful treatment he was in no condition to head the herd as the fall shows drewT near. The Illinois State Fair was being held the week before "the Great St. Louis' Show, which was in those days the "Royal" of America, and after loading the cattle (and some imported Cotswold sheep) on board a river steamer at St. Paul for St. Louis Gibson was started post haste for Decatur, with in- structions to buy a show bull, if there was one on the Illinois State Fair Grounds, at any cost. On Saturday before the opening the Lyndale cattle were in their stalls at St. Louis, minus a bull, but that same day Gibson wired that he was starting with Scotsman's ocean companion Old Sam. Mr. Cochrane had not sold the bull 412 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. during the summer, and had shipped him out to the Illinois State Fair in the expectation of finding a purchaser. James N. Brown's Sons had Tycoon 7339 at Decatur that year as a three-year-old, and Mr. Gibson offered $2,500 for him without effecting his purchase. As this was one of the most noted of the home- bred show bulls of that time a brief statement concerning him will be of interest at this point. Tycoon 7339. — This noted roan must be cred- ited primarily to Kentucky, as he was sired by Mr. Warfield's famous Muscatoon 7057 out of Nannie by Derby 4689, he a son of Renick 903; second dam Maria Hunt by imp. Young Chilton, tracing in the maternal line to imp. Illustrious by Emperor (1974). He was dropped on Capt. James N. Brown's farm in Sangamon County March 27, 1867. While his sire and dam were both bred at Grasmere the credit for his devel- opment into one of the most noted show bulls of his day rests with Capt. Brown and his sons, who had by this time become associated with their father in the management of the herd at Grove Park.* At three years of age he attained a weight of 2,360 Ibs. His head was neat, horns slightly drooping, and of masculine character. He was well filled behind the shoulders, good at the chine; level in his top and bottom lines; * Capt. James N. Brown died Nov. 16, 1868. His sons still carry on the farm, although doing little now in pedigreed cattle. THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM." 413 square and well finished about the rumps, with thighs carried well down to straight and well- filled legs. He was rated by good judges as one of the best bulls of his time in the West, and his victories in the show-yard at the Illi- nois State Fair, at St. Louis and other lead- ing exhibitions gained for him much reputa- tion. Tycoon was a uniformly good breeder and many of his heifers were fitted for show with great success. Prominent among his get may be mentioned the $1,000 show heifer Maud Muller, Illustrious 5th and the famous Young Marys, Grace Youngs 4th, 5th and 6th. He was sold at auction in 1871 to Mr. S. C. Duncan of Missouri and died in 1873. His sister, Illus- trious 3d, was also a great winner in the herd of Messrs. Brown. King's victory at St. Louis. — When the great St. Louis show of 1870 opened its gates Old Sam was found at the head of the Lyndale Herd. He was a red, bred by R. H. Crabb of Chelmsford, Essex, Eng., and was got by the Bell-Bates Duchess Nancy bull Duke of Graf- ton (21594), a son of exported Duke of Geneva (11)614), and similar in his breeding to the cele- brated Grand Duke of Oxford (28763), sire of Rev. B. B. Kennard's great English-bred prize cow Queen Mary. Old Sam's dam was the mixed-bred cow Roma, by Baron Roxwel] 414 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. (21240). He gained first prize in the aged bull class over Baron Booth of Lancaster, but the latter was awarded by another committee the male championship of the class. Rosedale* was an easy winner among the aged cows; Queen of Diamonds carried the three-year-old ribbon, Booth's Lancaster the first for two-year-old heifer and Countess of Yarborough second. In yearlings the $5,500 Rosedale's Duchess was not noticed, but in heifer calves the sweet-faced, heavy-coated Constance of Lyndale, by 5th Duke of Geneva, headed the list.f The herd prize fell to Lyndale after one of the most exciting con- tests ever known in American show-yards Illinois, Missouri and Kentucky were defeated, but Great Britain and Canada had been ran- *John Gibson describes Rosedale as follows: "Rosedale was one of the best cows I ever saw. She was laid out on a much larger scale than the cows now shown. She had an ex traordinary front that was well car- ried back to her hips. She was long-, wide and deep, with great thickness of flesh, evenly laid. She was just a little plain from her hips back, which was about her only fault. With all her size and wealth of flesh she had no coarseness or roughness, showing a fine feminine head, well carried. Queen of Diamonds tied her for sweepstakes at St. Louis, but the old cow rightly got it. One of the best things we showed at St. Louis in 18TO was the Constance heifer. One gentleman who saw her before the show remarked what a good one she was and said: 'You have trained wrong ; kept too much hair on. That is all right for the Royal, but will not do for the States. I replied that I never saw a Short-horn with too much hair of the righ quality, and the St. Louis judges seemed to think the same." t Constance was shown here in the wrong class, as was afterward acknowledged. There was always considerable contention between Edwin Bedford and George Bedford. Mr. Edwin Bedford had bought the 5th Duke of Geneva, and when this heifer made the rounds, really a year- ling and shown as a calf, she was awarded great honors and, of course, Edwin was very proud of her. Mr. George Bedford said he need not be, because she could not be a daughter of 5th Duke of Geneva, as she was too young. Then, of course, Col. King either had to deny her sire or acknowl- edge-as, upon investigation, he subsequently did— that she was shown in the wrong ring. THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM." 415 sacked with a blank check-book to do the trick. History tells of the "Field of the Cloth of Gold," where the kings of France and England met in the midst of such luxurious surround- ings as to make the conference memorable mainly for its extravagant splendor. The tent which flew the flag of Lyndale and from whence Col. King dispensed hospitality to the fraternity of Short-horn breeders at this show was not carpeted with gold exactly, but it lacked little that money could supply that would minister to the tastes or appetites of the most fastidious among the congenial spirits congregated to do honor to that princely enter- tainer upon this gala occasion. It was a fa- mous victory ; a magnificent herd and a royal celebration ; an event which will be recalled as long as show-yard battles retain their inter- est as probably the most remarkable event, in some of its features at least, in the annals of cattle competitions in America. W. R. Duncan's sale.— The McMillan sale, it is needless to say, gave a great impetus to Short-horn breeding in the West, and trade at once grew active, both at public sale and pri- vate treaty, at high prices. At an auction held by W. R. Duncan at Towanda, 111., Aug. 24, 1870, the show bull Minister 6363 was sold to Andrew Wilson of Topeka, Kan., at $1,760. 416 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Oxford Wiley 8753 fetched $705 and several other bulls brought from $400 to $500 each, The seven-year-old Young Mary cow Red Rose 3d, a red-roan of Ben F. Van Meter's breeding, went to George Otley of Neponset, 111., at $1,500. The red cow Gem 3d, also of Van Meter's breeding, fetched $1,150, going to Ed lies, Springfield, 111. The cow Oxford Belle, bred at Woodburn, made $1,000 to Robert Otley, Neponset, 111. Others were sold at from $400 to $750. The beginning of live-stock journalism. — It may be of interest at this point to note that from the month of May, 1869, may be dated the beginning of live-stock journalism as a special feature of agricultural newspaper work. Upon that date Mr. J. H. Sanders, founder of the Breeder's Gazette, began the publication of a sixteen-page monthly called the Western Stock Journal, issued at Sigourney, la., the initial number presenting a portrait of Mr. McMillan's celebrated Louan 21st. Mr. Sanders was at that time interested in stock- breeding himself, and feeling the need person- ally of information bearing upon the business took advantage of his ownership of a small country printing-office to undertake on his own account the first venture of this kind of which we have record. The publication ac- quired immediate popularity and its success THE BIRTH OF A ';BOOM.'? 417 attracted the attention of Mr. George W. Rust, at that date engaged in newspaper work upon the Chicago Times, who in connection with the Hon. John P. Reynolds established at Chicago in September, 1871, a more pretentious maga- zine, which was christened the National Live- stock Journal. The immediate object of Mr. Sanders having thus been accomplished he accepted a proposition for the consolidation of his own paper with that of Mr. Rust, as- suming at the same time a position as associ- ate editor of the Chicago periodical. Mr. Rust was a ready and forcible writer, and at once made a special study of the Short- horn trade. His paper soon attained National circulation and influence and afforded stock- breeders in general and the Short-horn frater- nity in particular a needed medium of commu- nication.- The National Live -Stock Journal, with which Messrs. Charles P. Willard and William Hallowell also became identified, was soon recognized as a powerful influence in the development of the American interest in pedi- greed-stock breeding.* In the course of time the Journal gave way to the weekly Breeder's Gazette, which was established in 1881. * The author may perhaps be pardoned for stating1 that It was in tha work of compiling Short-horn catalogues in the office of the monthly maga- zine mentioned that he acquired, some twenty years ago, his first acquain- tance with the intricacies of the Short-horn Herd Books of Great Britain and America. 27 CHAPTER XIV. AN EKA OF EXPANSION. Important events now followed thick and fast. Hundreds of herds were in process of formation all the way from New England to the Pacific Coast. The fame of the Short-horn had become co-extensive with North American agriculture and the demand greater than at any previous "period. To mention, therefore, in detail all those who took a prominent part in this broad expansion of Short-horn interests would be to transcribe to these pages volumes of facts and pedigrees that may best be gath- ered from the herd-book records of the period. We can therefore touch only upon matters that fairly possessed National or international interest. Hillhurst and Lyndale operations.— Three importations were made to Hillhurst in 1870, aggregating some sixty-five head of cattle representing the leading Bates and Booth strains. In the first lot were the show cattle sold to Col. King, as already mentioned. Along with these Mr. Cochrane brought out from Col. Gunter's Duchesses 101st and 103d— (418) AN ERA OF EXPANSION. 419 at the extraordinary price of $5,000 and $7,500 respectively — both sired by exp. 4th Duke of Thorndale, and in the fall of that year these Duchesses dropped heifer calves by 8th Duke of York (28480). In this same shipment was the roan show cow Jessie Hopewell, of Ayl- mer's breeding, that was sold to Ed lies of Springfield, 111. In the second shipment were several heifers from Warlaby and Killerby and three Booth bulls, one of which, Royal Richard 15415, was sold to A. Van Meter of Kentucky. Mr. Cochrane continued his operations in 1871, bringing over a large number of well-bred and individually excellent animals, including the roan heifer Royal Duchess 2d, sold to Mr. lies; the red Portulacca, that became the property of C. E. Coffin of Muirkirk, Md.; the red bull The Doctor 13021 and Cherub 11505, both subse- quently famous in the West; the roan Bread- albane 11429, of Torr's breeding, sold to 8. R. Streator of Cleveland, 0., etc. Richard Gibson selected for importation by Col. King in 1871 a lot that included such noted animals as Baron Hubback 2d 13199, of Col. Towneley's breeding; Countess of Oxford, from Messrs. Hosken of Cornwall; Lady Brough, largely of Booth blood, etc. Mean- time Mr. Cochrane had sold Duchess 97th to Col. King at the enormous price of $12,000, but shrewdly foreseeing the result of the 420 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE, manipulations going on at New York Mills the proprietor of Hillhurst repurchased this heifer, and along with her the 6th Duke of Geneva. Exportations to England. — In April, 1871, Mr. Cochrane sold through Mr. Thornton to Col. Kingscote for $4,000 the. red yearling bull Duke of Hillhurst 9862, by 14th Duke of Thorndale out of Duchess 97th, that afterward sired the highest-priced bull of any breed ever sold in the world, to-wit. : Duke of Connaught (33604), for which Lord Fitzhardinge gave $22,500. .Along with Duke of Hillhurst Mr. Cochrane shipped the roan heifer llth Lady of Oxford to the Earl of Dunmore, Stirling, Scot- land, at $3,750.^ In October, 1871, Walcott & Campbell shipped three Oxford heifers, the 9th Maid and 10th and 13th Ladys of Oxford, together with the year- ling Oxford bull 5th Lord Oxford 10382 and the 1st Duke of Oneida 9925, all sold to E, H. Cheney. For the 1st Duke $4,250 was received. He was afterward resold to Lord Skelmersdale. The 9th Maid of Oxford was a particularly val- uable heifer, having been successfully exhibited before exportation at the New York State Fair. Unfortunately she died soon after landing abroad. In November, 1871, Mr. Cochrane made an- other sale to Dunmore, consisting of the white AN ERA OF EXPANSION. 421 Duchess 107th and the roan Duchess 108th, the 8th Maid of Oxford, Marchioness of Oxford, and four Kentucky-bred Rose of Sharons. For the Duchess heifers the enormous price of $12,500 was paid. The two Rose of Sharon cows Red Rose, of Mr. Renick's breeding, by Airdrie 2478, and Red Rose 2d, of William Warfield's breeding, by Duke Frederick, were taken, to- gether with their heifer calves, at $2,500. Clark Co. (Ky.) Importing Co. — The import- ing trade into Kentucky, which had languished for many years, was now revived. An organi- zation made up mainly of Clark County breed- ers sent Lewis Hampton and W. C. Vanmeter to England early in 1871 to make a selection of cattle for immediate importation. The stock landed in New York April 11 and was disposed of on the fair grounds near Winchester on Aug. 26. Twenty-three head brought $19,685, an av- erage of $855.87, the highest price realized being $] ,300 for the red heifer Cowslip 2d, bought by Lewis Hampton. The red cow Pride of the West, bred by Mr. G. Game and sired by ex p. 6th Duke of Airdrie (19602), went to W. H. Nel- son of Montgomery County at $1,250. The same buyer took the red yearling heifer Lady Spencer 2d, by Baron Oxford (23375), at $1,220. For Rarity, of the Charmer tribe, Asa Bean gave $1,080. The roan bull Peabody (29535) went to W. C. Vanmeter at $900, Duke of Ba- 422 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. braham (25934) to W. L. Sudduth at $790, and the Pawlett-Booth bull calf Pioneer 12593 to same buyer 'at $400. At this same sale a draft of home-bred cattle was offered, the highest- priced animal contributed by local breeders being the Young Mary cow Beck Taylor, by Dick Taylor, taken by Mr. J. E. Sudduth at $600. The Young Phyllis yearling heifer Queen of Hearts, sired by the show bull Burnsidq 4618, brought $550. High prices in Illinois. — Edward lies sold twenty-nine head at Springfield, 111., Nov. 15, 1871, for $14,940, an average of $515.17. The show cow Jessie Hope well, by a Booth bull on a mixed English foundation, was included in this sale and was taken by J. H. Kissinger of Clarksville, Mo., at $2,500. J. G. Taylor of De- catur, 111., bought Oxford Duchess, a two-year- old Bates-topped heifer (imported by Hon. M. H. Gochrane), for $2,100. The yearling show heifer Nelly Bly of Forest Hill, by Gen. Grant 4825, commanded $1,800 from Mr. Spears. Mr. Sodowsky of Indianola, 111., gave $1,800 for the red cow Potentilla, of mixed English breeding, also imported by Mr. Cochrane. J. H. Pickrell took the imported roan cow Statesman's Daugh- ter 2d at $700, and other parties, afterward well known and active in the trade, such as C. E. Lippincott, Messrs. Parks, A. R. Babbage, Wil- liam Stewart, Samuel Dysart, William Smith, AN ERA OF EXPANSION. 423 Jeff Bridgford (Missouri), et al., were buyers of cows and heifers. The ten-year-old 7th Duke of Airdrie was bought by W. B. Dodge, Wauke- gan, 111., at $500, and the roan bull calf Chief Napier — a " J" Princess by imp. Gen. Napier- was taken by E. W. Mills, Sullivan, 111., at $800. The great trade of 1872. — During the year 1872 exportations at high prices to Great Britain were renewed on a still more extensive scale, and the domestic trade was vastly in ex- cess of anything previously recorded, no less than 1,014 head of Short-horns being sold at auction in the United States during the year for $317,256, an average of $313 each. This, of course, does not include the great list of transfers at private sale. Richard Gibson, who was now located at London, Ont., went to Woodburn in April and bought the 8th, 13th and 14th Duchesses of Airdrie for export to Cheney of Gaddesby Hall. Along with the Duchesses he sent the Princess cows Primula (bred by A. B. Conger), Lady Wellington and Lady Sale of Putney (both bred by Messrs. Winslow of Vermont), the Gwynne cow Lady Susan 3d and heifer calf (bred by Mr. White of Framingham, Mass.), and the Constance heifer Rosina, bred by Cowan of Canada. Lord Dunmore again drew upon America, ordering from Hill'hurst the Booth-bred bulls 424 A HISTORY OF SHORT HORN CATTLE. Royal Blithe and Breakspear and the red year- ling 3d Duke of Hillhurst. Mr. Cochrane had now acquired possession of the Booth stock imported for New York Mills. Royal Blithe was a son of the Warlaby-bred Merry Peal, but died on shipboard. A stormy passage was en- countered and the other two bulls arrived at Liverpool in December much reduced in flesh. This year is memorable in the annals of Kentucky Short-horn breeding especially for the sale to Earl Dunmore by Abram Renick of the Rose of Sharon heifers Red Rose of the fsles, Red Rose of Thorndale and Red Rose of Rannoch, the first a daughter of old Airdrie, the second by 8th Duke of Thorndale and the third by Joe Johnson. All were in calf to the 4th Duke of Geneva. Dunmore had been at- tached to the staffs of various Confederate commanders during the American Civil War in quest of military experience. He was with Lee, Wade Hampton and Kirby Smith, and when the latter made his dash into Kentucky the Scottish Earl improved the opportunity to have a look incognito at some of the Short-horn herds of the blue-grass country. Out of this visit grew his subsequent orders for cattle of the Rose of Sharon tribe. Col. L. G. Morris of New York brought out in August, 1872, five heifers and two bulls of Bates blood, including the bull Oxford Beau AN ERA OF EXPANSION. 425 2d, of Kingscote breeding. Australia was also buying freely in the mother country about this period, paying the Duke of Devonshire $5,000 for 24th Duke of Oxford (31002). The first public sale of cattle ever held at Dexter Park, Chicago, occurred this year, the herd of Mr. E. P. Brockway of Wisconsin, that acquired considerable reputation in the show- ring, going under the hammer at an average price of $693 per head. Col. William S. King sold twenty-eight females at auction at an av- erage of $452, the show heifer Booth's Lancas- ter bringing $1,700 from Messrs. Parks of Glen Flora Farm, Waukegan, 111., and the imported cows Henrietta and Countess Oxford going to the same noted herd at $1,500 and $1,000 re- spectively. Booth's Lancaster was resold later to S. R. Streator of Cleveland, 0., for $2,000. It was during this year also that J. H. Pick- rell sold imp. British Flag 13211,* bred by Messrs. Dudding, for $1,800, and Baron Lewis, a Phyllis * British Flag- was one of an importation made in 1871 by a Capt. Pratt, that passed into the possession of Mr. Pickrell. Baron Lewis was the first Short-horn bred and reared in Illinois to bring: so great a price. At this sale a very persistent stranger bid for Baron Lewis against Mr. Sodowsky, and when the $2,500 notch was reached the excitement was intense. Turn- ing to his opponent Mr. S. said: "Well, stranger, you must have lota of money." The only reply was an advance of the bid. The belligerent Ver- milion County breeder, however, had some " sand," as well as means, him- self, and forced his rival out at $3,000. The stranger did have money sure enough, or at least he represented it, for he was the agent of the Hon. John Wentworth of Chicago. " Long John," as he was familiarly called, was fond of sending " unknowns " out after valuable cattle offered at public sale, and in this instance only repeated his tactics as already noticed in his purchase of the 15th Duke of Airdrie some years previous. 426 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. bull by Baron Booth of Lancaster, to "Uncle Harvey" Sodowsky of Indianola, 111., for $3,000 at a public sale that averaged $603. Many important transactions were consum- mated this season at private treaty. George Murray, a Scotchman in the lumber trade at Racine, Wis., who had been a heavy buyer at the McMillan sale, now acquired from Mr. Al- exander the afterward celebrated 10th Duchess of Airdrie. He was using at this time at the head of his Slausondale Herd the 17th Duke of Airdrie, and had paid $1,210 for Mazurka 26th. J. H. Kissinger of Missouri received during this season's trade $1,800 for his Caroline Airdrie heifer by Mr. PickrelPs Sweepstakes 6230 to go to California. While all this was going on in America prices were "booming" abroad. At Earl Dun- more's sale Sept. 5, 1872, the English sale rec- ord was broken when Mr. Thornton disposed of forty-eight cows and heifers for over $60,- 000, an average of some $1,250. At this sale Baron Oxford 5th brought $2,000. The highest price for a female was $6,000 for a yearling Ox- ford heifer, another of the same family bring- ing $5,050. The part of the Earl's herd not offered upon this occasion comprised his Amer- ican importations, one or two favorite old cows, and a tribe known as the Revelrys — twenty- two head 'in all — for which $75,000 in a lump AN ERA OF EXPANSION. 427 sum was said to have been refused. After this sale two of the Red Roses (Renick Rose of Sharon) were parted with privately at $10,000. On Nov. 30 following Mr. Simon Beattie shipped for Lord Dunmore from America five heifers, all descended from imp. Rose of Sharon, by Belvedere (1706). Three of these were bred by Abram Renick — Minnie 4th? by old Airdrie (30365); Duchess 10th, by Joe Johnson, and Rose of Thorndale, by 8th Duke of Thorndale. The other two were of the Ohio branch of the tribe, tracing through Lady of the Lake, and were bred by Mr. Chauncey Hills of Delaware; one of them got by Mr. Hills' Imperial Star- light 8270 and the other by Judge Jones' Ma- zurka Duke of Airdrie 10478. Remarkable as was the Dunmore sale of Sept. 5 a still more sensational one was soon to follow. Messrs. Harward & Downing sold on Sept. 18 sixty-one head for £15,458, an average of £253, the three- year-old bull 8th Duke of Geneva going to Mr. Leney at £l,650, or fully $8,250 in gold, the highest price paid at auction for any animal of the breed up to that date. Mr. Downing had paid Mr. Sheldon of New York $4,000 for the bull in 1869. Col. L. G. Morris of Fordham, N. Y., was a buyer at this sale. The highest-priced female was 5th Maid of Oxford at $4,500. Oakland Favorite 10546 and London Duke 6th 10399.— In 1870 Mr. Charles E. Leonard of 428 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Ravenswood Farm, Mo., had purchased from D. McMillan of Ohio the eight-months bull calf Oakland Favorite 10546, sired by Loyal Duke of Oakland 6977 out of Mignonette by Gen. Grant 4825; second dam Jessie — the dam of Gen. Grant— by Starlight 2d 2259. He sustained the good reputation of the McMillan stock, prov- ing an extra show bull and winning for Mr. Leonard many first and championship prizes west of the Mississippi River. In 1872 Mr. John G. Cowan of Holt Co., Mo., purchased the celebrated Loudon Duke 6th 10399, bred by Mr. Warfield and sired by Muscatoon 7057 out of the great show cow Loudon Duchess 2d by Duncan's Duke of Air- drie 2743. We believe this bull was once de- feated at Kansas City by Mr. Leonard's Oak- land Favorite, but his career in the Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska show-yards represented an almost unbroken line of victories. He was a red with straight top and bottom lines; a broad, deep chest; good on the fore ribs and through the heart; possessing smooth, well-laid shoulders, deep ribs, low flanks, faultless hind quarters and the traditional Duke of Airdrie neatness. He had been shown by Mr. Warfield with great success in Kentucky, Ohio and In- diana, where he had only been beaten once as as a yearling. Mr. Cowan paid $3,000 for him as a two-year-old, and his exhibition at the AN ERA OF EXPANSION. 429 Western fairs served to spread the reputation of the Short-horns well beyond the Missouri River. Shown with his get he never met de- feat. In fact as a breeding bull he had no equal in the Western country in his day. His descendants in the Cowan herd were distin- guished show and breeding animals for many years, and one of his sons contributed much to the success of the late Hon. D. M. Moninger in his great steer-breeding operations in Iowa. In the hands of Mr. Richard Daniels, one of Nebraska's pioneer breeders,* bulls by Loudon Duke 6th rendered capital service,.and one of his daughters, London's Minnie, was a feature of the Short-horn exhibit at the Philadelphia Centennial. First National convention. — On Nov. 27, 1872, the first National convention of breeders of Short-horns ever held in America met at In- dianapolis, Ind., the chairman of the commit- * Mr. Ralph Anderson of Falls City was possibly the first breeder of Short-horns in Nebraska, but Mr. Daniels shipped, in 1867, the first speci- mens of the breed ever taken to the State by rail, paying- $200 per car from Chicago. A chute for unloading- had to be specially built at Council Bluffs. Mr. Daniels' initial purchases, like those of most of the other Western breeders, were largely of "Seventeen" blood, and concerning- these he says: "I think they were as good beef cattle as I ever saw." He also brought with this lot a two-year-old steer for which he paid $100 in Michi- gan, keeping him until he was six years old, when he was sold to Shirley Bros, of Omaha for Christmas beef at a high price. Mr. Daniels bought from Mr. Cowan the breeding bull Knight of St. George 8473, that had been bred by W. R. Duncan of Illinois. He was a Phyllis, sired by Minister 6363, and cost Mr. Daniels $1,000. Then for many years he bred from sons of Loudon Duke 6th. Speaking of his experience with Short-horns " Uncle Dick," as this veteran Nebraska breeder is familiarly called, says: "If I had to begin life over again I would breed Short-horns. They always paid 430 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. tee that issued the call for this important meeting having been the late Hon. Claude Matthews of Indiana. This great mass meet- ing grew out of a desire on the part of those who were the recognized leaders in the trade at this date to have a higher standard of regis- try established for the herd book, which was at that time the private property of Mr. Lewis F. Allen. Those who had been paying long prices for stock of comparatively recent importation, or immediate descendants thereof, sought to cast discredit upon cattle bred from many of the earlier importations, and it was argued that inasmuch as some of the foundation stock in the herd book had no pedigree, and as others registered in the early days boasted pedigrees known to be of questionable character, it was necessary to practically treat the descendants of such cattle as "grades." Indeed the ques- tion of demanding a more rigid standard of ad- mission to the herd book was the prime factor in the calling of this convention. George W. Rust, through the Live-Stock Journal, had pub- lished scathing denunciations of what he char- acterized as the inexcusable laxity of the Allen rules, and the fact that the "purists" had al- ready gone so far as to establish in Kentucky (under the powerful patronage of Mr. A. J. Al- exander and under the immediate direction of Maj. Humphrey Evans) a rival pedigree regis- AN ERA OF EXPANSION. 431 ter known as the " American Short-horn Rec- ord" indicated the extent and depth of the feel- ing existing in respect to this matter. After extended debate the following resolu- tions bearing upon this and another mooted question were adopted: Resolved, That the ancestry of the animals should be traced on both sides to imported animals, or to those heretofore recorded in the American Herd Book, with pedigrees not false or spurious, before they can be entitled to registry. Resolved, That the person under whose direction the animals are coupled should be recognized as the breeder of the produce. Mr. Allen accepted these and the other rec- ommendations of the convention and agreed to be governed by them in the conduct of the herd book. Opposition to prevailing "fashions" devel- oped.— The era of speculation was now in full swing. BelPs history of Bates cattle and Carr's history of the Booth herds had ap- peared in England, and were widely read in America. Controversies were waged through the public press and at every gathering of breeders over the pedigrees and character of the great rival types. Prominent among those who took part in this in the States were Hon. T. C. Jones of Delaware, 0., and A. S. Matthews of Wytheville, Va., both of whom ridiculed many of the claims made by the partisans of the Bates Short-horns. Judge Jones was a man of strong intellect, deeply versed in Short- 432 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. horn lore, and as fond of a controversy as any native of Erin. He was an experienced breeder, and for a period of nearly twenty years was one of the leading American writers on Short-horn cattle. His ability, honesty of purpose, and virile character commanded the respect even of those who differed with him in relation to the various controverted tenets of the Short- horn faith. There was a sharp tilt in England between Lord Dunmore and Mr. J. B. Booth, in the course of which the latter challenged the Earl to show twenty head of the Killerby Hec- ubas against a like number of any one tribe at Dunmore for $5,000 a side, to which His Lord- ship responded that he did not have that num- ber of any one tribe in his pastures. It is of interest at this juncture, as reflecting a feeling that was becoming very prevalent at this stage of the proceedings, to note that the National Live-Stock Journal in commenting upon the Booth-Dun more controversy in its issue of Jan- uary, 1873, used the following significant lan- guage: " The Booth and Bates men usually profit by these discussions ; they no doubt intended that this controversy should tend, as pre- vious ones have, to attract public attention to those rival strains, until purchasers should be. persuaded that the only question for them to decide was which of the 'breeds,' to use the language of Mr. Bates, should be selected. Hearing this perpetual contro- versy it is not strange that amateurs should be willing to pay long prices for a Booth or Bates pedigree, without regard to the excel- lence of the animal. But that practical men, who have had ex- perience in breeding, and especially that managers of publications AN ERA OF EXPANSION. 433 supported by the owners of Short-horns of all strains, should aid in keeping up this mania is a matter we cannot comprehend. For our own part we mean in the future, as in the past, to keep clear of this mania. While admitting, as we always have, the high ex- cellence of these rival stocks we shall insist that they are not superior in blood or in valuable characteristics to the cattle of other good breeders, and that those, therefore, who claim for them this pre-eminent superiority are misleading the public and unjustly depreciating the value of other Short-horns." This is the first time we find any public edi- torial condemnation of the tendency of the times in Short-horn breeding circles, a fact which indicates clearly that the rank and file of American Short-horn breeders were begin- ning to grow restive under the constant and usually arrogant assumptions of superiority in- dulged in by the dealers in the "fashionable" strains of that day. H CHAPTER XV. THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY- THREE. The year 1873 dawned with the breed bask- ing in the sunshine of a popularity such as no other variety of improved live stock has ever enjoyed. The wealth of the cattle-breeding world was now ready to be poured at the feet of the Short-horn. Notwithstanding the inter- nal dissensions noted in the preceding chapter, agricultural history has no parallel to the en- thusiasm and boundless devotion displayed by the followers of the "red, white and roan" during this and the years immediately succeed- ing. The beauty and practical utility of the breed had captivated the great landed proprie- tors of both hemispheres, as well as the farm- ers and feeders of both continents; and under the stimulus of a demand almost world-wide in its character those who had the means to gratify their taste for rare specimens of the breed were forced to measure values not so much by the mere intrinsic worth of individ- ual animals for the feed-lot or the dairy as by the degree of personal satisfaction flowing (434) THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THREE. 435 from the ownership of Short-horns of illustri- ous lineage or bearing the badge of show-yard superiority. It is true there were certain parties identi- fied with the trade who were engaged in pro- moting public interest from purely mercenary motives. Such individuals did what they could, of course, to add fuel to the fire, but it goes without saying that their utmost efforts would have been wholly unavailing but for the exist- ence of an abiding appreciation of the breed upon both sides the Atlantic, which was as pro- found as it was widespread and persistent. It therefore came to pass at this period that those who sought what they regarded as the most desirable cattle of the breed were compelled to pay exorbitant and finally fabulous prices; but the mere fact that breeders and fanciers were willing to follow their favorites to the amazing figures quoted in the following pages is in it- self a tribute to the fascinating character of the Short-horn such as no other race of domes- tic animals has ever yet received. "Coming events cast their shadows before." While it was not until the autumn of 1873 that the pent-up enthusiasm for the Duchess blood was at length unchained, transactions both at auction and at private treaty forecasted por- tentous events early in the year. Trade opened up briskly in the West. 436 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Spring sales 1873.— At the Parks* and Mur- ray sales, in April, Col. James W. Judy as auc- tioneer disposed of twenty-four females for the former at an average of $783, and thirty- two for Mr. Murray at an average of $848. Of the Glen Flora (Parks) lot Messrs. Sodowsky took the two imported cows Countess of Oxford and Henrietta at $2,000 each. D. M. Flynn of Des Moines, la., bought Moss Rose at $1,610, and A. H. & I. B. Day of Utica, la., took imp. Lady Brough at $1,680. Elliott & Kent of Des * Messrs. C. C. & R. H. Parks were Wall street brokers, and had for- merly resided at Waukegan. After acquiring possession of the Glen Flora Farm they soon decided upon stocking it with pedigreed cattle, horses and sheep. Their attention was drawn to Short-horns through the herd that Mr. W. B. Dodge had established at Waukegan. Their first investment was in 1869, when they bought five heifers, by Minister 6353, of W. R. Duncan for $2,000. They bought Lady of Racine, a daughter of Lady of Clark, famous in Ohio Short-horn history, from Mr. Dodge and sold her to George Murray for $4,000. This transaction, we believe, occurred while the parties were tain tendance at the McMillan sale. Messrs. Parks hired the late Mr. John Hope as herdsman in the spring of 1870, and bought the Torr bull imp. Gen. Napier from Col. King with a view toward showing at the Wiscon- sin State Fair and various local shows, where they met George Murray, Messrs. Brockway and others. Gen. Napier was a very low, thick, mellow- fleshed bull, and one of the very first of his get was the famous Jubilee Napier, sold to Mr. Pickrell. Other good ones were Miss Leslie Napier, that went to C. A. DeGraff at a high price, and Gem of Eryholme, sold to S. W. Jacobs of Iowa. All of these made great reputations and were grand individual cattle. Gen. Napier was afterward sold to Stephen Dunlap, but realizing their mistake Messrs. Parks bought him back. They purchased the entire herd of C. K. Ward of New York, besides a number of cattle from Messrs. Lusk, Wadsworth, Pratt and other prominent Eastern breeders, and were for several years among the most active in the American Short- horn trade. The Glen Flora Herd that was shown in the fall of 1872 won something over $2,000 in prizes at Michigan and Wisconsin State Fairs and the district fairs held at Aurora and Dixon, 111. It included the bulls imp. Gen. Napier, imp Scotsman, imp. Baron Hubback 2d, and among the females were the champion cow imp. Henrietta, imp. Ruberta, imp. Lady Brough, shown as a two-year-old; Miss Leslie, Pattie Moore, Miss Leslie Napier, and the calf 8d Gem of Eryholme. This was a strong lot, admirably fitted. . THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THREE. 437 Moines secured imp. Frill at $1,050. Sodowsky bought imp. Scotsman 10951, of Lyndale fame, at $1,000. Scotsman was a roan of the Duke of Buccleuch's breeding, and it is of interest to note in passing that he was a half-brother to the dam of the afterward famous Duke of Rich- mond, so celebrated in the herd of J. H. Potts & Son. At the Murray sale A. B. Conger of New York bought the 17th Duke of Airdrie for $2,300, and S. W. Jacobs of West Liberty, la., the cow Forest Queen at $1,280. Gen. Sol Meredith of Indiana gave $1,325 for Valeria; S. W. Jacobs $1,350 for 3d Louan of Slauson- dale; William Stewart of Taylor, 111., $1,700 for 2d Lady of Racine and $1,400 for Mazurka 20th, and G. W. Gaines of Ridge Farm $1,775 for Mazurka 23d. W. B. Dodge of Waukegan sold a lot at the same time at high prices, G. J. Hagerty of Ohio paying $1,010 for Elsie, and Elliott & Kent $1,000 for Mazurka of Wood- lawn. In May of this year Col. King sold ten head to William S. Chapman and J. D. Carr of Cali- fornia for $10,000, including the prize bull Old Sam 10551. Dunmore's big deal. — Meantime Lord Dun- more closed a trade with the Hon. M. H. Coch- rmie for ten head of Bates-bred cattle for $50,- 000. This lot included 6th Duke of Geneva, Duchesses 97th, 101st and 103d, one Waterloo 438 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. and five Wild Eyes. Duchess 97th at the time of this sale to Dunmore was at Walcott & Campbell's, being bred to the 2d Duke of Onei- da. Duchess 103d died at Hillhurst before the order was filled. Summer sales. — In July Edward lies sold imp. Cherub 11505 at auction at Springfield for $6,000 to J. H. Spears of Tallula, 111.,* and at the same sale Gen. Meredith paid $2,000 for Joan of Arc, $1,650 for Royal Duchess 2d, $1,200 for Royal Duchess 3d and $2,200 for two Louans; Henry Clark of Missouri $1,000 for Anna Bo- leyn; S. C. Duncan of same State $1,100 for Florence; J. H. Kissinger $1,000 for Prairie Blossom, and W. R. Duncan $1,000 for Baron- ess Bates 3d. About the same time William Stewart of Franklin Grove, 111., sold a lot at an average of $540, chiefly notable now from the fact that it contained the first specimen of the breeding of Mr. Amos Cruickshank of Sittyton, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, to pass through the sale-ring in the West since the Illinois Import- ing Co.'s sale of 1857, viz.: the show cow Vio- let's Forth, bought by J. H. Spears for $1,525. George Otley gave $1,000 at this sale for Dove 6th. On June 25 J. H. Kissinger held a sale that averaged $540 on the females, the "top" of * Cherub was bred by Lord Sudeley of Gloucestershire, Eng., and was got by Baron Booth (21212), sire of imp. Baron Booth of Lancaster, out of Seraphina 13th by John o' Gaunt (IG322). He was imported by Cochrane, who sold him to lies. THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THREE. 439 which was Illustrious 3d at $2,050 to T. W. Garrard of Missouri. This was one of the best cows of her time — a red-roan, bred by James N. Brown's Sons and sired by the Roan Duch- ess bull Gallant Duke 6749 from a cow descend- ing from imp. Illustrious by Emperor. She was five years old at the time of this sale. J. H. Spears bought the Pomona show cow Phoebe Taylor for $1,500 and Mr. Pickrell the red Beauty by De Yaux cow Farina 2d, also a noted prize-taker, at the same figure. The Daisy (by Wild) show bull Duke of Airdrie 9800 went to H. Clark of Missouri at $1,000. At Dr. A. C. Stevenson's sale at Greencastle, Ind., Aug. 13, $1,000 was paid by J. Bridges, Bainbridge, Ind., for Stevenson's 28th and $1,100 by same party for Stevenson's 37th. At R. R. Seymour's sale at Chillicothe, 0., a half-interest in 3d Duke of Oneida sold for $3,300 to John Montgomery, Licking, 0. At R. H. Prewitt's sale at Pine Grove, Ky., July 31, Gen. Meredith gave $2,800 for the Booth bull imp. Forest Napier 11973. At Winches- ter, Ky., Aug. 1, at a sale conducted by Capt. P. C. Kidd for the estate of Lewis Hampton, $3,300 was paid by B. B. Groom for Mazurka Belle and $3,150 by same party for Lady Paw- lett. At the same sale Geneva Lad 10129 went to A. H. Hampton at $1,850, the cow Mazurka Belle 2d to Hon. T. J. Megibben at $2,050, 440 A HISTORY OF RHORT-HORN CATTLE. Annie Laura to S. F. Lockridge, Greencastle, Ihd., for $1,000, the bull Mazurka Lad 15928 to J. V. Grigsby at $1,400, and the bull Mazurka Duke 2d 15927 to Mr. W. Voorhies of Illinois at $1,225. Abram Van Meter sold at Winchester, Ky., Aug. 2 and received $2,000 from R. H. Prewitt for Forest Queen, $1,010 from John Grigsby for Forest Beauty and $1,000 from the same buyer for May Cadenza. On. Aug. 5 George M. Bedford made an average of $849 on twenty-seven females, receiving for 5th Duch- ess Louan $3,575, for 23d Duchess of Goodness $2,950, for 22d of same name $1,000, for the 21st $1,025— all to local buyers— and for 9th Duke of Goodness 11736 $4,500 from Strawn & Lewis of Ottawa, 111. At James Hall's sale at Paris, Ky., Aug. 6, S. F. Lockridge gave $1,060 for Sarah Rice 5th. At Silver Lake, Kan., on Aug. 20 the State Agricultural College paid Andrew Wilson $1,050 and $900 respectively for a pair of Young Marys — Grace Youngs 4th and 5th. While these sales serve to indicate the pre- vailing furor as evidenced around the auction block, leading breeders were making important private transfers. Leney took to England from New York Mills 10th Maid of Oxford and 6th Duke of Oneida. A. J. Alexander sold 15th Duchess of Airdrie for export to Cheney at $10,000! J. H. Pickrell while attending the THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THREE. 441 Kentucky sales bought the famous Booth bull Breastplate 11195 from Prewitt for $6,250. George Murray bought llth Duke of Geneva 9843 from George M. Bedford at a reported price of $10,000. The bull had been bought by Mr. Bedford at Hughes & Richardson's sale of 1872 for $6,000. Richard Gibson exported a half-dozen females of the Frantic or Fletcher Bell-Bates sort, a Kirklevington cow and two Princesses, and sent word back from England that at Cheney's sale the 9th Duke of Geneva's heifers averaged over $2,000 each! The pot was boiling furiously on both sides the Atlantic and — then came the deluge. New York Mills dispersion. — Hon. Samuel Campbell, after acquiring the interest of his partner (Mr. Walcott) in the Duchesses and other Short-horns at New York Mills, was now ready for the coup toward which the events detailed in the foregoing pages had all been tending, to-wit.: the closing-out of the entire herd at auction. The 10th of September, 1873, was the day set for the event. John R. Page, Sennett, N. Y., was engaged as auctioneer and Mr. Carr of England was asked to write up the herd on the other side the water for a consid- eration of 1-J per cent of the gross receipts. H. Straff ord, the celebrated English auctioneer and editor of the English Herd Book, was cor- responded with. He was to sell the Duchesses 442 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. for a fee of 1,000 guineas! He published a sale catalogue of the Duchesses and Oxfords. Page announced: "I have the sale and shall be pleased to see Mr. Strafford and have his as- sistance, but he will sell what I choose to as- sign him. I am the auctioneer." The Carr episode led to a long and heated newspaper controversy, in the course of which Bell's Mes- senger of London said: "The words quoted by Mr. Carr mean that when he offered to Mr. Campbell as a salable commodity his influence with British Short-horn buyers and Mr. Camp- bell agreed to accept it at a price both Mr. Campbell and Mr. Carr (on their own showing) were guilty of disgraceful traffic in public con- fidence." All of which served as capital adver-' tising. There were now no Duchesses living on either side the Atlantic descended direct from Mr. Bates' herd, without admixture of blood from other sources, save those at New York Mills, and they were all derived from Duchess 66th.* Just why this should have made the Mills cattle so much more precious than their *The leading outcrosses on the Duchesses came through 2d Duke of Athol (11376) into the Duchesses of Airdrie, through Usurer (9763) into the English Duchesses, through Imperial Oxford 4905, Prince Imperial (15095) and 2d Duke of Bolton (12739) into the Grand Duchesses, and through Grand Turk (12969) into some of the Dukes of Thorndale. Outcrosses put upon the Oxfords included Borneo (13619) and his sons Oxford Lad 4220 and Imperial Oxford 4905; Marquis of Carrabas (11789), bred by Fawkes, and Lamartine (11662), bred by J. M. Sherwood. Imperial Duke (18083), that was half-Duch- ess and half-Knightley, had also been introduced into some of the Duchess and Oxford pedigrees. THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THREE. 443 distinguished relatives is not apparent at this time, especially in view of the freedom with which Mr. Bates had outcrossed the family during his lifetime, except upon the hypoth- esis that all skill and judgment in mating cat- tle perished with the founder of the tribe. As a matter of fact evidence was not wanting that this very element of "purity" carried with it the seeds of danger. At the time Gibson sev- ered his connection with the herd* it was of high average merit, but it had been culled freely and handled with consummate judg- * Richard Gibson, speaking- of the sale, says: "The question of the hour was not what the average would be but what would a Duchess bring? Some were sanguine enough to place the figure at $20,000. In the morning the tension was something terrific, and as the time to commence drew near little coteries were beginning to bunch together, Kentucky's tall sons to the northwest of the ring, the English visitors on the southwest, while the others were promiscuously seated in the stand. Kello, the incomprehen- sible, was alone away from all the rest, fearful to mix with these dreaded Yankees lest they should steal not his purse but his thoughts and inten- tions. During the forenoon W. R. Duncan had approached Mr. Campbell, saying: 'I apprehend, sir, you are aware that Mr. Page can't sell this bunch of cattle in one day.' "Mr. Campbell posted off to Page and said: 'I hope you will not at- tempt to sell all these cattle in one day.' 'I shall,' replied Page. 'Then, sir, I shall consider that you are sacrificing my property,' was Campbell's rejoinder. ' May I take the bids as fast as they come? ' asked the auction- eer. " On a watering trough in the center of a ring Mr. Page took his stand. The proverbial pin could have been heard to drop. The excitement at this moment was intense; not noisy or boisterous, but for two or three days the tension had gradually been increasing. There was the keenest anxiety as to what the Englishmen were after, and a determination to prevent them from taking all the best. Mr. Page gauged the feeling of his company. They had not come, some of them over three thousand miles, to hear a lot of Cheap John spread-eagleism, but for business. He said: 'Gentlemen, please give me your attention and I will read the conditions of this sale.' The 2d Duke of Oneida was brought into the ring while he was reading them. 'Will anyone make me an offer on the bull?' were the opening words. 'Ten thousand dollars,' came the answer from the Kentucliians, and so the sale began." 444 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. ment. The desire to possess the "pure" blood, regardless of all other considerations, had taken firm hold upon those who considered that the Duchesses as Bates had left them constituted the creme de la creme of the Short-horn breed. The National pride of the English breeders was appealed to with success. America had taken from the mother-land what many of the Britons esteemed as the highest single source of Short- horn excellence. Hence they came to New York Mills prepared to heap their golden guin- eas high against American dollars. History has long since characterized this as a day of monumental folly, but as the event stands out in bold relief as the crowning sensation of the century in the realm of stock-breeding it there- fore demands adequate record in these pages. Some idea of the nature of the scene may be gleaned from the following notes made by an eye witness — the late George W. Rust, whose library and manuscripts were acquired by pur- chase by the author many years ago: The Duchesses of course formed the attractive feature of this sale : and in the lobbies at the hotels, which were thronged with breeders from all parts of this country, and a liberal representa- tion of English breeders, speculation was rife as to the prices which would be realized. It was rumored that the Englishmen (with the exception of Mr. Kello, who represented Mr. R. Pavin Davies, with whom the other English gentlemen refused to enter into any arrangement) had a private understanding as to which animal each person would bid upon, the others agreeing not to compete with their countrymen in these cases, and that Earl Bec- fcive's representative had brought £13,000 (about 170.000; with THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THREE. 445 him, and it began to be whispered that some of the females would bring as high as $15,000 each. This seemed like a fabulous price, however ; and as every one took great pains to conceal his own in- tentions there were many persons loth to believe that this much was to be paid, arid the probability of $15,000 being paid for a single animal on the morrow was the staple subject of discussion as long as the lobbies contained any people. Gradually they thinned out, and soon after midnight they were entirely deserted and Short-horns and Duchesses passed out of mind, save as the anxious ones painted and pictured them in their dreams. With the earliest streak of dawn the hotel lobbies began to fill, and the probable events of the day engaged the attention of all. Before the breakfast hour had passed it was evident something new and startling had been discovered ; and soon it was whispered that a delegation from Clark Co., Ky., was present with $60,000, which had been raised for the purchase of three females, and the proba- bility of $20,000 being paid formed the subject of eager discussion. The sum seemed so enormous, however, that few believed- it, al- though the minds of all were in a measure prepared for such an event. By 10 o'clock the hotels were deserted and the crowds had transferred themselves to the Mills, where they thronged the stables or gathered in excited groups about the ample grounds. At 1 o'clock Mr. Page announced the sale. Those in attendance had gathered upon the stand with the seats ranged one above an- other, and the reporters and clerks sharpened their pencils at the tables. The first animal led into the ring was the 2d Duke of Oneida, a deep red, calved Aug. 3, 1870, got by 4th Duke of Geneva 7931 out of 13th Duchess of Thorndale by 10th Duke of Thorndale (28458) . Mr. Alexander of Kentucky wanted him, as did Mr. T. J. Megibben of the same State, and negotiations had been pending between them all the morning looking to the transfer to Mr. Megibben of Mr. Alexander's Duke of Airdrie, which, if they had proved successful, would have taken Mr. Megibben out of the competition and brought Mr. Alexander in. These negotiations, however, were not successful, in consequeiice of the price demanded by Mr. Alexander ; and making a final un- successful effort to reconcile their differences, while the auc- tioneer was making his preliminary remarks, Mr. Megibben started the bull at $10,000. The English gentlemen were gath- ered in a little knot at the left of the auctioneer and wanted the bull also, and the opening bid fell among them like a bomb, shell and gave them the first intimation of the character and 446 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. nerve of the gentlemen who were to contest with them the honors of the day. "Eleven thousand dollars" was said by one of them in an agitated voice, so uncertain and tremulous that Mr. Page for the moment was uncertain whether the bidder meant it or not, and then their heads were laid together in anx- ious consultation. A number of Kentuckians also gathered around Mr. Megibben, and on both sides of the ring there was a group of anxious faces. With those around him Mr. Megibben made a private arrangement for the service of the bull in case he fell to him, and to carry him (as we afterward learned) past $17,000 be- fore surrendering him. As the group of Kentuckians separated Mr. Megibben raised the bid to $12,000, and still the Englishmen consulted. It was evident they wanted the bull ; but the females were more valuable, and they were of the opinion that if they ad- vanced the price of him to the point to which the Kentuckians were prepared to go the price of the females might be correspond- ingly advanced, and perhaps put altogether beyond their reach. Their minds were quickly made up on this point, and the 3d Duke of Oneida was knocked off to Mr. Megibben at 112,000, the highest price ever paid to that moment for a Short-horn. Then the cheers rose, peal on peal, and the more distant seats of the stand were deserted and their occupants gathered closer to the scene and clustered like bees around the auctioneer. 1st Duchess of Oneida was then led in. She was a red-and- white, calved Jan. 24, 1870, got by 10th Duke of Thorndale (28458) out of 8th Duchess of Geneva by 3d Lord of Oxford (22200), and in calf since Dec. 10 to 2d Duke of Oneida. The Clark Co. (Ky.) com- Jbination started her at once at $15,000, which Lord Skelmersdale of England raised at once to $30,000, shutting out a bid of $25,000 proffered by Mr. George Murray of Racine, Wis. His Lordship was evidently informed that the Clark County gentlemen had brought $60,000 for the purpose of buying three, and his bid called upon them to place the half of it on the head of a single animal. This took them by surprise, and to gain a moment's time for re- flection they interposed an additional bid of $100, upon which his Lordship promptly placed another $100. The Kentuckians con- cluded to follow her no further, and then Mr. Kello, the represen- tative of Mr. Davies of England, advanced the $200 bid to $300, which Lord S. promptly made $400. Mr. Kello and Mr. Brodhead (the representative of Mr. Alexander), who was quietly smoking in the rear of the English party, which by this time had gathered inside the fence, bid $500 simultaneously, and $30,600 was his Lord- ship's response. All were now done and she was quickly knocked THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THREE. 447 off to him on this bid. Considering her age and that she is almost at the calving she was one of the best bargains of all the Duch- esses. Thirty thousand dollars ! it seemed incredible, and for a few moments none could realize it ; but in a short time it seemed to break upon the minds of all and such a scene of excitement was never witnessed before. Men shouted themselves hoarse and hats were waved and flung wildly into the air on all sides, and several minutes elapsed before order could be restored and the ring cleared for the entrance of her calf, the 7th Duchess of Oneida, a red-and- white, calved Aug. 1, 1872, by 2d Duke of Oneida 9926 out of 1st Duchess of Oneida by 10th Duke of Thorndale (28458). The audience began to feel the reaction which follows every unusual excitement and to repent of such ex- treme figures. She was led around the ring and not a bid; the contestants eyeing each other from all sides, as if striving to master each other's intentions. Finally Col. King started her at $5,000 and the ball opened— $7,000, $8,000 by two, $10,000 by two, $11,000 by two, $12,000 by two, followed in such rapid succession that it was impossible to see from whom the bids came. "Twelve thousand five hundred makes it my bid," came from Mr. Brod- head, which the Englishmen in his front promptly raised to $13,- 000. From the further side of the ring Mr. E. G. Bedford of Ken- tucky interposed another $500, which the Englishmen made $14,- 000, only to elicit an additional $500 when it came to Mr. Brod- head's turn. Mr. Bedford, who had crowded to the front, now saw between whom the competition lay and shook his head, as a token that he would not interfere, and $500 bids followed until the calf was declared the property of Mr. Alexander at $19,000. The audience, who began to fear from the sale of the dam that the English gentlemen were determined to have them all, greeted Mr. Brodhead's victory with the most rapturous applause. The next animal to come under Mr. Page's hammer was the 10th Duchess of Geneva, a roan, calved May 15, 1867, got by 2d Duke of Geneva (23752) out of 5th Duchess of Geneva by Grand Duke of Oxford (16184), in calf since March 80 by 2d Duke of Oneida. Col. Morris of New York led off with $5,000, which Col. King of Minnesota raised to $10,000. Mr. Kello advanced the fig- ure to $15,000 for Mr. Da vies, and Mr. Berwick for Earl Bective made it $20,000, when it was very evident there was to be such a trial of nerve as had not before been witnessed. One of the Ken- tuckians bid $25,000, and Col. King added another $1,000, which Mr. Berwick lost no time in advancing to $30,000. This bid Mr. Brodhead advanced $100, when Mr. Berwick declared, "I am 448 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. done," and started to leave the ring. His English friends, how- ever, rallied him, and he exclaimed in an excited manner, "Thirty thousand dollars! how much is that in sterling?" One of them pushed him again to the front, exclaiming, "Buy her, and count it afterward!" but not until Mr. Kello had taken advantage of his excitement to raise the price to $30,500. Mr. Berwick returned with $31,000, Mr Kello with $100, which Mr. Berwick raised to $500. with no other effect than to bring from his opponent a bid of $32,000, Mr. Berwick seemed to be nettled by Mr. Kello's undis- turbed manner and added another $1,000, making $33,000; and Mr. Kello, not at all dashed, added $500 more without delay, and then Mr. Berwick advanced it to $34,000; "and $500," was Mr. Kello's response. Mr. Berwick put on enough to make $35,000, and Mr. Kello's flag and the auctioneer's hammer came down. The Amer- icans, who had not made a bid after the $26,000 and were aware that Mr. Kello had not beeii permitted to become a member of the English party, watched this contest between the two English in- terests with no little concern; and his opponents, although evi- dently feeling they had paid dear for the victory, were in high glee that they had won it. Of course the price, $35,000, would never be equaled again, arid the audience gave itself up once more to various expressions of astonishment. The entrance to the ring of the 8th Duchess of Oneida served to restore order. Another roan she proved to be, calved Nov. 18, 1872, got by the 4th Duke of Geneva 7931 out of 10th Duchess of Geneva by 2d Duke of Geneva (23752). She was started at $5,000 and advanced rapidly to $14,- 000. Between this and $15,000 the bids were quick but small, but she finally passed this point, and was sold to Mr. Berwick for Earl Bective at $15,300. Then came the 13th Duchess of Thorndale, red, calved Feb. 25, 1867, got by 10th Duke of Thorndale (28458) out of 10th Duchess of Thorndale by 2d Grand Duke (12961) , served July 8 by 4th Duke of Oneida. She, too, was started at $5,000 by Col. Morris, which was doubled by Col. King. Mr A. B. Conger of New York added another $1,000, and $1,000 bids followed quickly until she was declared to be the property of Mr. Conger at $15,000. Then came the 4th Duchess of Oneida, red, calved Jan. 17, 1872, got by 4th Duke of Geneva 7931 out of 13th Duchess of Thorndale by 10th Duke of Thorndale (28458) . She was started by the English party and ran up in two or three bids to $10,000, and a few $500 bids sent her up to $13,000, which several gentlemen raised to $13,500, and Mr. George Murray made it $14,000 to prevent dispute. Mr. Brod- THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THREE. 449 head then signified his willingness to contend for her by advanc- ing her $500 more, and Mr. E. G. Bedford advanced the figure to $15,000; and here it seemed as if the battle was over, for Mr. Brodhead came back with only $100. Mr. Bedford responded with another $100, Mr. Brodhead made it $300. At this point Mr. Holford of England, considering the Americans had about got through, entered the. lists with a $200 bid, and she stood at $15,- 500. Mr. Brodhead greeted his new competitor with an addi- tional $500 bid, to which the Englishman responded with a $1,000, making it $17,000. Mr. Brodhead promptly interposed another $100, and the Englishman, adopting the same tactics, bid $100 more, and she climbed up slowly, $100 at a time, until Mr. Brod- head had bid $17,600, when Mr. Holford, as if hoping to shake off the Kentuckian, bid sharply $18,000. And to show that he could not be bluffed by that game Mr. Brodhead added promptly an- other $1,000. Prom $19,000 to $21,000 the bids were $100 each in most cases, and when that point was reached Mr. Holford, seeing the Kentuckian was in no measure disturbed, dropped out of the contest, and Mr. E. G. Bedford came forward, just as she was about to be knocked off, with a $500 bid, Mr. Brodhead respond- ing with a similar amount, and $500 more was bid by Mr. Megib- ben, the gentleman who had purchased the bull, and Mr. Brod- head made it $23,000, and, with $500 jumps, she advanced to $25,- 000, as Mr. Bedford's bid. Mr. Brodhead then discovering that it was one of his Kentucky neighbors who was bidding against him declined to go farther, and she was knocked off at $25,000 to Messrs. E. G. Bedford and T. J. Megibben of Kentucky. The an- nouncement that she was to remain in this country again made the audience extremely demonstrative, but when the 8th Duchess of Geneva was led into the ring a tolerable degree of silence and order was restored. She proved to be a red-and- white, calved July 28, 1866 ; got by the 3d Lord of Oxford (22200) out of the 1st Duchess of Geneva by 2d Grand Duke (12961) ; served June 1 by 2d Duke of Oneida. Being seven years old and over, and having produced nearly the full complement of calves which this family of cows produce in this country, it was not ex- pected that she would sell so well as some of the others, and Mr. Kello doubtless expected to get her on the first bid, when he placed $10,000 on her head. But the other English gentlemen had agreed among themselves that Mr. Kello should not have a Duch- ess, and they raised him at one jump to $15,000 and the audience were at once overcome by the excitement. $16,000 and $17,000 were bid from the stand, and then $20,000 by two, one of them 29 450 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. being Mr. Kello, and some one of the English party made it $25,- 000. Mr. Kello made it $26,000, and his opponents $30,000. Mr. Kello added $1,000 more, and his bid was promptly raised to $32,- 000. Then $33,000 came from the stand (from either Col. King, Col. Morris, Mr. Murray, or G. M. Bedford), and was the highest American bid, and Mr. Kello raised that to $34,000, when the other Englishmen made it $36,000. Mr. Kello hesitated, but re- membering his unsuccessful contest for the 10th Duchess of Ge- neva, and that his countrymen had combined to rule him out altogether from this much-coveted family, he determined to take Lord Skelmersdale's advice to Mr. Berwick and "buy Tier," and added $500, which brought $37,000 from his opponents. " Thirty- eight thousand," said Mr. Kello. Evidently thinking that one more bold push would crowd Kello from the course one of them bid forty thousand dollars! For a moment Mr. Kello faltered, but finally added $100. Here she seemed likely to go, but Mr. Berwick added $100 more. " Forty thousand three hundred dollars, just in time, from Mr. Kello." The excitement was now so intense that every indi- vidual in that vast throng seemed to hold .his breath ; the silence was absolutely oppressive, and broken only by the words of the auctioneer as he slowly repeated: "Forty — thousand — three — hundred — dollars — Are — you — all — done —gentlemen? " Softly Simon Beattie, with an English order in his pocket and Mr. Coch- rane at his back, ventured another $100. "Forty thousand four hundred; are you all done gentlemen? " were the measured words which alone broke the deathly silence. Reluctant to go farther, still more reluctant to yield, Mr. Kello stood like a statue, while every eye was resting upon him, and finally added $50 more. "Five hundred," said Berwick, in a sharp, impatient tone, as if anxious to end in some way the terrible suspense. "Forty thou- sand five hundred dollars; are you all done? Once! Twice! Six hundred, and in time," and she was knocked off to Mr. Kello for R. Pavin Da vies of England. One long breath, and then the cheers went up, and the thousands- there seemed fairly beside' them- selves, and the extravagant things which were said and done would fill a volume. A few minutes were given to allow people to recover their senses, and then the 10th Duchess of Oneida was led in — a last spring's calf (dropped in April), red-and- white, by the 2d Duke of Oneida out of 8th Duchess of Geneva by 3d Lord Oxford (22200) . Before order was restored Col. Morris of New York started her at $5,000. Col. King of Minnesota, who sat beside him, made it $10,000 ; $11,000 and $12,- 000 were bid, when George M. Bedford of Kentucky from the seat THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THREE. 451 behind put her at $15,000. Mr. Richard Gibson, who had hurried home from England to attend this sale with an order in his pocket, added $2,000 more, and then Mr. Brodhead, who desired her to grace the blue grass at Woodburn, placed her at $18,000, and Mr. Gibson put her at once to $20,000. But this was a game at which two could play, and Mr. Brodhead advanced the figure to $22,000, and Mr. Gibson went $2,000 better still. Twenty-five thousand, even money, seemed a point hard to pass, and Mr. Brodhead, evi- dently thinking Mr. Gibson would not get over that limit, made the bid. Mr. Gibson, however, had another thousand, and Mr. Brodhead was compelled to pay $27,000 before he secured her. The contest was a short one, and the announcement that the Eng- lishmen had again failed to capture a Duchess provoked the wild- est enthusiasm. The 9th Duchess of Oneida, another calf of the present year (dropped March 2) , was next led in. She proved to be a roan by 3d Duke of Oneida 9926 out of 12th Duchess of Thorndale by 6th Duke of Thorndale (23794). She had two outcrosses in her pedi- gree, the Romeo through the 6th Duke of Thorndale, and the Im- perial Duke through her second dam, and for that reason perhaps, and because of the natural reaction from the previous excitement, did not attract so much attention. She was started at $5,000 by Col. King of Minnesota and knocked off to Mr. Berwick for Earl Bective on fhe next bid— $10,000. She was followed by the 12th Duchess of Thorndale, roan, calved Oct. 13, 1865, by 6th Duke of Thorndale (23794) out of 5th Duchess of Thorndale by Im- perial Duke (18083), in calf since April 17 by 2d Duke of Oneida. She had the Romeo and Imperial Duke crosses in her pedigree, and besides was eight years old and her prime as a breeder about passed, and for this reason the first bid was but $500. This was too cheap, however, and there was considerable competition lor her developed, and finally at $5,700 she was knocked off to A. B. Conger of New York. As she was led out there was led in the 3d Duchess of Oneida, roan, calved March 19, 1871, by 4th Duke of Geneva 7931 out of 8th Duchess of Thorndale by 3d Duke of Airdrie (23717), through which she gets the Lord George outcross, served July 3d by 4th Duke of Oneida. She was started at $5,000 by Mr. Duncan of Illinois, which was promptly doubled by Col. Morris of New York. Mr. Duncan added $2,000, Col. King $1,000, G. M. Bedford $500, and Mr. Murray of Racine bid $14,000. Then Mr. Berwick of England bid $15,000, to which Mr. Brodhead added $100. Mr. Holford-of England then appeared as a competitor, and finally secured her at $15,600. 452 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. SUMMARY OF HIGHEST PRICES AND AVERAGES. 8th Duchess of Geneva— R. Pavin Da vies, England $40,600 10th Duchess of Geneva— Earl Bective, England 35,000 1st Duchess of Oneida— Lord Skelmersdale, England 30,600 10th Duchess of Oneida— A. J. Alexander, Kentucky 27,000 4th Duchess of Oneida— E. G. Bedford and T. J. Megibben, Kentucky 25,000 7th Duchess of Oneida— A. J. Alexander 19,000 3d Duchess of Oneida— T. Holford, England 15,600 8th Duchess of Oneida— Earl Bective 15,300 13th Duchess of Thorndale— A. B. Conger, New York 15,000 9th Duchess of Oneida— Earl Bective 10,000 12th Duchess of Thorndale— A . B. Conger 5,700 2d Duke of Oneida— T. J. Megibben, Kentucky 12,000 4th Duke of Oneida— Ezra Cornell, New York 7,600 7th Duke of Oneida— A. W. Griswold, Vermont 4,000 11 females* sold for $238,800; an average of $21,709 3 bulls sold for 23,600 ; an average of 7,866 14 Duchesses sold for .... 262,400 ; an average of 18,742 Countess of Oxford— A. B. Conger $9,100 12th Lady of Oxford— T. Holford 7,000 2d Maid of Oxford— A. W. Griswold 6,000 12th Maid of Oxford— Col. L. G. Morris, New York 6,000 10th Earl of Oxford— A. B. Cornell, New York 2,500 2d Countess of Oxford— A. W. Griswold 2,100 6th Lord of Oxford— Simon Beattie 1,300 3d Maid of Oxford— Warnock & Megibben 1,000 6 femalest sold for $31,200 ; an average of $5,200 2 bulls sold for 3,800 ; an average of 1,900 8 Oxfords sold for 35,000; an average of 4,375 Lady Knightley 3d— Col. L. G. Morris $5,000 Lady Knightley 4th— A. W. Griswold 4,000 Lady Knightley 2d— E. K. Thomas, Kentucky 3,100 Lady Bates 4th— E. G. Bedford 3,250 Lady Bates 6th— George M. Bedford 2,300 Lady Bates 7th— A. B. Cornell 1,600 Lady Worcester 5th (Wild Eyes)— T. Holford 3,100 •This is exclusive of the 8th Duchess of Thorndale, that was sold as barren to C. F. Wadsworth of New York at $150. t Exclusive of 7th Lady of Oxford, sold as doubtful breeder to Ezra Cornell at $400 THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THREE. 453 Lady Worcester 4th (Wild Eyes)— T. Holford 3,000 Atlantic Gwynne— Lord Skelmersdale 2,000 Miss Gwynne— Col. William S. King 1,700 Brenda (Bloom)— Col. L. G. Morris 2,500 Berlinda (Bloom)— Col. L. G. Morris 2,800 Bloom 4th (Bloom)— A. B. Cornell 1,000 Beauty's Pride (Foggathorpe)— A. W. Gris wold 1,725 Baron Oxford's Beauty (Foggathorpe)— Bush & Hampton, Kentucky 1,500 Cherry Constance 2d— T. J. Megibben" 1,725 Cherry Constance— Col. King 1,100 Peri 4th-Col. King 1,700 Peri 5th— Col. King 1,300 Moselle (Mazurka)— A. W. Griswold 1,425 Rosamond 10th— W. R. Duncan, Illinois 2,050 Victoria 7th— A. W. Griswold 1,525 Water Lily— Bush & Hampton 3 ,125 Roan Duchess 3d— George M. Bedford 1,025 92 females sold for $350,775 ; an average of . $3,813 17 bulls sold for 31,215 ; an average of 1,836 109 animals sold for 381,990 ; an average of 8,504 Hello's mistake. — After the sale it developed that the agent of Mr. Davies had made an error in estimating American currency while bidding the 8th Duchess of Geneva up to $40,600. Da- vies, while not disavowing his agent's act, cabled Mr. Campbell to resell the cow and he would adjust the* difference between such price as might be received and the price bid by Kello. Campbell wrote to Col. L. G. Morris stating the facts and asked him to make an offer on the cow. Morris replied that he was willing to take her at the price made by her daughter at the sale, viz.: $30,600, and the offer was ac- cepted. Meantime Davies was forming a syn- dicate in England to take the cow at the $40, ~ 454 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. 600 bid, and finally cabled: "Don't sell the cow. Have arranged to take her." This arrived too late, however, as the trade with Col. Morris had been closed. The cow, being forward in calf, was left at Mr. Campbell's farm until parturi- tion should take place. A few days before her time she dropped a fully-developed dead heifer calf, and soon thereafter the cow herself died, all efforts to save her proving fruitless.* Mr. Davies then sent a bill of exchange for $5,000 to Mr. Campbell, which was handed over to Col. Morris, thus alleviating to that extent his lamentable loss. Morris had no thought of buying a Duchess before the sale, but as the bidding progressed and the "plums" seemed falling steadily to the English party, Samuel Thorne remarked to Col. Morris: "It is a pity there is no American Gunter here." This was an allusion to the first contest for the posses- sion of the Duchesses at the Tortworth sale in England in 1853, as noted on page 242. Upon that occasion Gunter had driven out to Earl Ducie's without the slightest idea of becoming a bidder, but in response to an appeal to the "patriotism" of the large crowd of Englishmen present to prevent the capture of the tribe bodily by the Americans he entered the lists. *It has been said by those familiar with the facts that the 8th Duchess was literally done to her death by an ignorant Irish employe of Mr. Camp- bell's. She developed at parturition a case of false presentation, with which she wrestled for thirty-six hours, while the poor beast was driven THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THREE. 455 Sources of deterioration. — England was more fortunate than America in her Duchess investments; or it may be nearer the truth to say that in the hands of English herds- men the cattle were handled with better judg- ment. The English purchases were shipped late in the autumn of 1873. Along with the Campbell cattle went five Princesses, bought for account of E. H. Cheney. The $35,000 10th Duchess of Geneva produced in the hands of Earl Bective the bull Duke of Underley (33745), that became a sire of great renown. The Duch- esses that remained in America failed to meet the expectations of their buyers, and through deaths and failures to breed the line became extinct on this side the Atlantic within ten years. That incestuous or long-continued close breeding tends to impairment of vigor and in- fertility does not admit of doubt. The Sheldon Duchesses certainly had not proved, as a rule, either fruitful or long-lived in Mr. Campbell's hands. That fact is shown by the compara- tively small number of females in the herd at the time of the dispersion. Six of the twelve bought in 1869 and 1870 had disappeared be- up and down the road during her distress "to make her calve aisyl" It is also related that one of Mr. Alexander's purchases was driven to A. Ben- ick'a by a colored hand on horseback, to be bred to the 4th Duke of Geneva. At New York Mills the Duchess would have ridden and her attendant walked. This cow arrived at Renick's overcome by the heat, was turned cut in pasture, and a thunder-shower at nig-ht completed the job. Com- menting1 upon this incident and contrasting- it with the treatment given to hia pets at, their York State home Gibson remarks: "The nigger lived." 456 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. fore the sale of 1873, leaving no offspring in the herd. It has been commonly claimed that tuberculosis was the cause of this and the sub- sequent mortality and lack of fecundity, but it has, perhaps, not been generally known that every cow and calf at New York Mills had contracted from the English importation of 1870 one of the most aggravating of all bovine plagues, foot-and-mouth disease, which scourge during the years 1867 and 1868 had so sorely tried the courage of Mr. Booth and others in Great Britain. The only two beasts upon the farm that escaped attack were the bulls 4th Duke of Geneva and Royal Briton. A frame that had been used for shoeing oxen was pro- cured from a blacksmith away in the woods of Oneida County and each animal had its feet dressed daily; even the cows that were heavy in calf being subjected to this treatment. Aside from the Hillhurst people, who were going through the same ordeal, no one knew at the time of this difficulty. Linseed-meal gruel was provided, and as. a result of care^ f ul nursing no deaths occurred. Like la grippe in the human subject, foot-and-mouth disease in cattle is chiefly to be dreaded for its after effects. It will be recalled that during one season (probably 1870) after the disease had been prevalent at Warlaby Mr. Booth raised but one heifer calf. To this cause, therefore, THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THREE. 457 Mr. Gibson attributes most of the troubles of the New York Mills Duchesses after his con- nection with the herd ceased.* 4th Duke of Geneva. — As the chief stock bull in service at New York Mills this bull oc- cupied a commanding position in the minds of those who were following the Bates colors. Through the instrumentality of Ben F. Van- meter of Clark Co., Ky., he was bought in the spring of 1873 for the joint account of himself and Abram Renick at $6,000. He weighed at that time about 2,000 Ibs. Mr. Wright, herds- man for Mr. Alexander, had looked at him as a yearling with a view toward securing him for Woodburn, but left him on account of his showing at that time a defect behind the shoulder. He improved in that respect, how- ever, and is generally credited with having proved a great success in Kentucky, to which * The history of this herd reads like a romance. The fight against fate at first, the importation of the Booths, the first purchase of half the Geneva herd, the compulsory acquirement of the second and the final dispersion were all the outcome of peculiar circumstances. The climax was a success, but that success was not commanded by superior knowledge nor sagacity, but simply caused by a fortuitous sequence of favorable events — all having a bearing. Old Weehawken, the success as sires of American Duchess bulls in England, the extinction of the pure Duchess line there, the con. stant refusal to price one, England's competition in the sale-ring, and a favorable time, all conspired to bring about the astounding result. Two months later we were in the throes of financial trouble. The gratuitous advertising through controversy in England, and above all the tact and skill of the auctioneer, were also important factors. "Are you satisfied, Mr. Campbell, 100 head of cattle can be sold in an afternoon? " asked the auctioneer after it was all over. " I am aware it has been done, sir," rejoined Mr. Campbell; and the auctioneer's fee was two black-nosed Victorias that were not worthy to be put in the sale!— Richard Gibson in "Breeder's Gazette" 458 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE. State he was taken May 1, 1873. He was let to forty cows from other herds at a service fee of $150 each within a year. Cows were turned away during the following year after services for twenty had been arranged at $250 each. After the New York Mills sale Lord Skelmers- dale (afterward Earl of Latham) visited Ken- tucky and endeavored to buy the 4th Duke of Geneva, but could get no price upon him, al- though intimating that he was willing to give $16,000. English sales of 1873.— At Cheney's sale in July thirty-five head averaged £294, 14th Lady of Oxford making 905 guineas from Earl Bec- tive, 12th Duchess of Geneva 935 guineas from Sir Wilfred Lawson, 3d Duke of Gloster 820 guineas from Earl Bective, the Gwynne heifer Geneva's Minstrel 600 guineas from J. P. Fos- ter, and an American-bred Princess cow (Lady Sale of Putney) 470 guineas from Earl Bective. At Lord Penrhyn's sale in May forty-one head averaged £210, the highest prices being 755 guineas for Cherry Duchess 14th to Earl Bec- tive, 550 guineas for Waterloo 33d to Lord Skelmersdale, 500 guineas for Waterloo 30th to F. Leney, and 505 guineas for Cherry Duch- ess 20th to C. A. Barnes. At the dispersion of the famous herd of Col. Towneley forty head averaged £126, the top being 800 guineas for 6th Maid of Oxford. 14TH DUKE OF THORNDALE (28459) AT 13 MONTHS. Sold for $17,900. 4TH DUKE OF GENEVA (30957) AT THREE YEARS. Used at New York Mills and on Renuk Hose of Sharons. CHAPTER XVI. A GOLDEN AGE. The Campbell sale fairly electrified the breeding fraternity on both sides the Atlan- tic, and although followed by a period of financial disturbance, yet during the years immediately succeeding an enormous business was done in Short-horns at both public sale and private treaty. The Central West still busied itself with the fairs, and having the requirements of the ring steadily in view af- forded a strong market for show stock as well as for animals of the prevailing fashionable blood.* Spring sales of 1874. — The great show herds of the West now depended very largely on Can- adian importations for their heaviest "timber." Stock of the high-styled, " rangy" type could * Writing1 of the situation in the fall of 1873 John Thornton said : "A slight reaction in favor of not breeding1 from ' pure ' strains was noticeable during the autumn. Close in-and-in breeding is doubtless the method whereby many of our finest animals are produced, as it is also the cause of delicacy and decay. The judicious blending of sound tribes must naturally result in the perfection of form and Quality, to which fair milking proper- ties should also be added. The combination of milk with the feeding qual- ities and graceful beauty of the Short-horn has been the cause of its su- premacy, but if the milking properties are reduced the Short-horn is brought to a level with other breeds, and its value consequently depre- ciated." (459) 460 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. no longer win. Mr. Cochrane had fitted out Col. King with his famous herd, and other champions had found their way into the West from the Dominion. American breeders were frequent visitors in Canada in these days in quest of show stock. It is related that a Western buyer, whose ambition exceeded his judgment, after examining the stock of Simon Beattie and James 1. Davidson in quest of a show cow, was advised to look at an animal then in the hands of a neighbor, which he was assured could be bought for $250. After start- ing away the prospective buyer came back and gravely asked Mr. Davidson if he thought the cow in question was as good as Rosedale. "A coo as gude as Rosedale for $250!" exclaimed the old Scotchman in amazement. *'Weel, mon, if that's a' ye ken aboot coos ye better gang hame where ye came from." Those Americans, however, who attended Simon Beattie's sale in the early spring of 1874 were of a different class. They did not expect to get Rosedales at the price of common cows, for it was here that George Murray of Racine, Wis., bought the grand roan three-year-old show heifer imp. Maid of Honor, of Game's breeding, at $2,600, and the mixed-bred imp. Lady Gunter at $2,000. C. C. Parks bought the roan heifer Malmsey, also of Game breeding, at $3,100. Gen. Sol. Meredith took Rose of Ra- A GOLDEN AGE. 461 cine, a Bates-topped Rosabella by Bridegroom, and her heifer calf at $3,420, and the grand roan Ruberta, another Garne-bred cow, im- ported by William Miller in 1869, at $1,275. On April 8 at John SnelPs sale at Edmonton, Out., Messrs. Day of Iowa paid $1,225 for the Scotch-bred imp. Golden Drop 1st, then eight years old, and $1,005 for the roan yearling heifer Golden Circle. On the following day at Hugh Thompson's sale John Collard of Des Moines, la., gave $1,015 for imp. Raspberry, and J. R. Craig $1,000 for the two-year-old Golden Drop 3d; the six-year-old Golden Drop 2d falling to Richard Gibson's bidding at $1,005. About this date Mr. Rigdon Huston of Blan- dinsville, 111., sold the Kentucky-bred Galatea show bull Bourbon Star 11425 to M. W. Fall of Eddyville, la., for $1,000. May 13 the Muirkirk Herd of C. E. Coffin was sold by John R. Page in Maryland, the highest price paid being $1,425 by Hon. T. J. Megibben for Muirkirk Gwynne. Leslie Combs Jr. of Kentucky bought Water Nymph at $1,200, and T. S. Cooper of Pennsyl- vania paid $1,060 for Portulacca. The Glen Flora sale at Waukegan on May 20 resulted in an average of $900 on fifty-five fe- males, Col. Judy wielding the hammer. Imp. Jubilee Gwynne was taken by Stephen Dunlap at $2,500 and Melody Gwynne by C. F. Wads- worth of New York at $1,000. For Melody 462 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Grwynne 6th Elliott & Kent of Iowa gave 11,600. The same firm bought Mazurka Duch- ess 2d for $1,520 and for another Mazurka B. B. Groom of Kentucky gave $1,350. Gen. C. E. Lippincott purchased imp. Malmsley at $1,500 and Irene llth at $1,000. Mr. Megibben took Oxford Princess at $1,500 and 5th Miss Wiley of Glen Flora at $1,250, and Emory Cobb gave $1,425 for 4th Louan of Glen Flora. J. H. Kissinger paid liberally for several cows of the Louan family, $1,325 for one and $1,000 for an- other. Rigdon Huston took 7th Louan of Glen Flora at $1,500 and A very & Murphy of Detroit 2d Louan at $1,825. John Niccolls of Bloom- ington, 111., was also a free buyer, paying up to $1,825 for Victoria of Glen Flora. James W. Wadsworth of New York secured Lydia Lan- guish 2d at a bid of $1,000. For imp. Lady Oxford H. Ludington of Milwaukee gave $2,350. A feature of this big sale was the high average of the Gwynnes, eight averaging $1,100 each. Lyndale sale at Dexter Park. — Col. William S. King made a memorable sale at Dexter Park, Chicago, on the following day, May 21. But one specimen of the popular Bates Duchess family was included, and in view of this fact the prices paid were considered at that time quite as ex- traordinary as those made at the great sale at New York Mills. A summary of the highest prices and averages is appended: A GOLDEN AGE. 463 2d Duke of Hillhurst 12893— George Bobbins, London, Eng. .114,000 Lady Mary 7th (Princess)— Charles P. Wadsworth, New York 5,500 Lady Mary 8th— Charles F. Wadsworth 5,500 Lyndale Wild Eyes— T. J. Megibben 5,000 Bell Duchess— James Wadsworth, New York 4,400 Peri 5th— James Wadsworth 4,000 Bell Duchess 3d— T. J. Megibben 3,300 Peri 4th— T. J. Megibben 3,000 Lady Mary 5th— Gen. N. M. Curtis, New York 3,000 3d Malvern Gwynne— T. J. Megibben 3,000 Miss Gwynne— A. W. Griswold, Vermont 3,000 Baron Hubback 2d— C. A. DeGraff, Minnesota 2,600 Peri 2d of Lyndale— Avery & Murphy, Michigan 2,500 True Blue (bull)— P. A. Coen, Illinois 2,240 Peri 3d— A. W. Griswold 2,100 Hubback's Garland— William Sodowsky, Illinois 2,100 Garland— T. J. Megibben 2,100 Bell Duchess 2d— B. B. Groom, Kentucky 2,100 Miss Leslie Napier— C. A. DeGraff : 2,015 Miss Leslie— C. A. DeGraff 2,005 5th Lady Sale of Brattleboro— C. F. Wadsworth 2,000 Butterfly's Gift— Maj. S. E. Ward, Missouri 1,900 Gem of Lyndale— Maj. S. E. Ward 1,850 Star of Lyndale— S. E. Ward 1,850 2d Tuberose of Brattleboro— T. J. Megibben 1,800 Florence— D. M. Flynn, Iowa 1,700 Constance of Lyndale 2d— A. W. Griswold 1,675 Moselle 6th— A. W. Griswold 1,600 8th Lady Sale of Brattleboro— C. F. Wadsworth 1,600 Roan Princess— D. M. Flynn 1,600 Constance of Lyndale 3d— John R. Craig, Canada 1,600 Mazurka of Lyndale— S. Meredith & Son, Indiana 1,525 9d Lady Gwynne— T. J. Megibben 1,500 Oakwood Gwynne 2d— Gen. N. M. Curtis 1,500 Mazurka of Lyndale 3d— J. H. Kissinger, Missouri 1,475 Mayflower — E. L. Davison, Kentucky 1,435 Medora 14th— John R. Craig 1,300 Scottish Lady— S. W. Jacobs, Iowa 1,275 June Flower— J. G. Coulter, Ohio 1,225 58 females sold for $101,615 ; an average of $1,752 21 bulls sold for. 25,375 ; an average of 1,208 79 animals sold for , . 126,990 ; an average of . ..." 1,628 464 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. The sale of 2d Duke of Hillhursfc to the Eng- lish bidder was not consummated on account of delay in making settlement. It is included in this report, however, for the reason that the sum of $13,900 was bid in good faith for the bull by Hon. John Wentworth of Chicago. Mr. Wentworth had started the bidding at $12,000. The contest from that point up to $13,000 was between "Long John" and the Englishman. George Murray of Wisconsin then entered the competition and carried the price to $13,800. A bid of $13,900 was made by Mr. Wentworth, which was raised by Robbins to $14,000. It was stated that Robbins was bidding for joint account of Lord Durimore, Earl Bective and Col. Gunter of England, and as the price was the largest ever made up to that date for a bull of any breed in any country the result was greeted with hearty cheers. Robbins left for Buffalo the evening of the sale for the alleged purpose of drawing the funds, but on Saturday telegraphed Col. King that he must go to New York to complete his arrangements. Feeling that he had given him reasonable time Col. King wired in reply that he did not consider himself bound to delay any longer, and that the 2d Duke would return to Lyndale. Rob- bins was a fraud pure and simple. A noticeable feature of this sale was the great price made by the Princesses and the . A GOLDEN AGE. 465 comparative lack of appreciation of the Booth- bred lots. Mr. De Graff resold Baron Hubback 2d after the sale to B. Sumner of Connecticut. Other Western events. — At Cambridge City, Ind., on the day following this exciting event Gen. Meredith & Son sold fifty-three head at an average of $454, the thirty-nine females bringing $20,985, an average of $515. For imp. Royal Duchess 2d Hon. T. C. Jones and G. J. Hagerty of Ohio gave $2,000, and Avery & Murphy took Joan of Arc at the same price. J. H. Spears & Sons held a sale at Tallula, 111., on May 27, at which Gen. Lippincott paid $5,800 for Cherub 2d and $1,600 for Duchess of Sutherland 4th. Several Sanspareils — then a new sort in the West — sold at high prices, Messrs. James N. Brown's Sons of Berlin, 111., paying $2,250 for two females of that family. Gen. Meredith gave $1,000 for Mazurka 20th and J. H. Kissinger $1,025 for Rosettie 4th. The thirty-four females sold averaged $630 and eleven bulls $950. About this date Mr. S. F. Lockridge of Indiana bought the Booth- crossed Scotch bull Lord Strathallan from Mr. John Miller of Canada for $2,500. J. H. Kis- singer disposed of forty head at auction at an average of $427.50, Mr. Pickrell paying $1,675 for Bride 15th. Messrs. J. H. Potts & Son made liberal purchases upon this occasion. W. R. Duncan's sale made an average of $525 3D 466 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. on twenty-six head, George Otley giving $1,500 for Rosamond 10th, P. A. Coen $1,000 for Ma- zurka 34th, Gen. Meredith $1,025 for Rosa- mond 7th and J. H. Pickrell $1,500 for Lady Bates. At Decatur, 111., April 28, Messrs. 3. Z. & T. M. Taylor disposed of thirteen females at an average of $843, including six Louans that averaged $1,399 each, Louan 6th of Poplar Farm, by Aristocrat 7509, bringing $2,110 from E. W. Miller, Lula, 111.; Louan 4th, by Baron Booth of Lancaster, $1,760 from John Niccolls of Bloomington; Louan 5th (by Aristocrat) $1,300 from Claude Matthews, and Louan 3d, by llth Duke of Airdrie, $1,100 from Emory Cobb. Kentucky summer sales. — The Kentucky auction sales of 1874 were largely attended and made some big averages. At Hughes & Richardson's eighty-eight head averaged $581. Lady Bates 3d fetched $2,150, Geneva Gwynne $1,675, Minna of Elkhill $1,905 and London Duchess 6th $1,775 — all to Kentucky buyers; Candidate's Duchess 2d, $1,425, and Wilda, $1,200, to Gen. Meredith; Louan of Elkhill, $1,025, to Leslie Combs; Louan 5th of Elkhill, $1,100, to J. H. Kissinger; Louan 4th of Elk- hill, $1,100, to W. N. Offutt; Mazurka Belle 2d, $1,000, and Lady Newham 10th, $1,050, to Theodore Bates; Bertha, $1,640, to Bush & Hampton. At E. L. Davison's Gen. Meredith A GOLDEN AGE. 467 paid $1,725 for Mazurka 36th and $LOOO for Grace 4th. Walter Handy gave $1,150 for Louan of Waveland and J. E. Shelley of Illi- nois $1,250 for Mazurka 37th. At Warnock & Megibben's seventy-eight head averaged $457, George M. Bedford giving $1,700 for Airdrie Belle, Col. William E. Simms $1,800 for Rose Jackson, Kirk & Cunningham of Ohio $1,550 for Cambridge Rose 3d, Ed Thomas $1,300 for Miss Stonewall Jackson, Col. J. B. Taylor of Canada $1,000 for Cambridge Rose 2d, John Niccolls & Sons $1,525 for 3d Mazurka of Woodlawn, Abner Strawn of Illinois $1,735 for 9th Duchess of Springwood and Mr. Megibben $2,475 for two females of same family, etc. At this sale, held July 28, Mr. George W. Rust, editor of the National Live-Stock Journal, was the victim of a murderous assault, narrowly escaping assassination. The affair grew out of charges made through that paper in 1873 in relation to the pedigree of the famous Shrop- shire show heifer Fanny Forrester. Ben F. Van Meter sold thirty-four head for $18,000, an average of $539. Abram Van Meter's eighty-three head averaged $565. A notable private sale in the fall of this year was the transfer of four head by David Selsor of Ohio to Mr. Keyes of Wisconsin for $4,000, and three head from same herd to an Ohio party at $3,000. 468 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Closing events of 1874. — The great events of the autumn of 1874 were the sales of E. G. Bedford and B. B. Groom in Kentucky. At the former seven head of London Duchesses sold for $24,650, an average of $3,521, four being bought by Kentuckians — C. M. Clay, T. J. Me- gibben and Ben F. Bedford — and three by Illi- nois breeders, J. H. Spears taking two at $2,250 and $2,000 respectively and Gol. Robert Holloway one at $2,700. The highest-priced one was the $6,000 Loudon Duchess 9th, that was bid off by B. F. Bedford. At this same sale S. F. Lockridge gave $1,700 for Cora 3d, E. L. Davison paid $2,075 for Cannondale 2d, E. K. Thomas $2,325 for Lady Bates 4th, two Louans brought $2,225, the 21st Duke of Air- drie $7,000 from J. H. Spears, Loudon Duke 19th $3,500 from W. R. Duncan and Loudon Duke 15th $2,100 from S. Meredith & Son. The thirty-five head averaged $1,672. At the Groom sale 119 head sold for an average price of $573, twenty-two head commanding prices ranging from $1,000 up to $2,550, the top price being paid by C. C. Childs of Independence, Mo., for Bell Duchess 2d. No less than 2,592 head of Short-horns passed through the sale-ring in America dur- ing 1874, bringing $1,004,159, an average of $387, the great year's business closing with the private sale of the 2d Duke of *Iillhurst A GOLDEN AGE. 469 and of the 10th Duchess of Airdrie and six of her descendants to Hon. M. H. Cochrane by Col. William S. King and Mr. George Murray at terms not made public but known to be extraordinary. The transfer of the 7th Duke of Oneida from A. W. Griswold to Mr. A. J. Alexander of Woodburn Farm, Ky., for $10,000 has also to be noted at this time. The public sales in England of the year 1874 were sixty-eight, aggregating 2,165 head, at an average of $323 each, a total sum of $702,556, being 236 animals more than in 1873, and at an increased price of $45 per head, yet lower by $69 each than the American public-sale prices. The exceptional sales in England were those of Messrs. Leney & Sons, of forty-one head, at an average of $1,458; Duke of Devonshire, forty- three head, $1,913; Earl Bective, fifty-five head, $1,816; E. H. Cheney, twenty-seven head, $2,095— all of Bates blood. The sales of 1875. — There seemed no abate- ment of public interest as the trade of 1875 was inaugurated. As in the previous year, the in- itiative was taken by Canada. John K. Craig made a sale of thirty-three head at an average of $548, Col. Robert Holloway of Illinois lead- ing the bidding with $2,600 for Waterloo J and $625 for the Scotch-bred Miss Eamsden 5th. Wesley Warnock of Kentucky took Peri Pink at $1,350 and W. E. Simms of Kentucky 470 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOEN CATTLE. bought Mystery at $1,175. Ware & McGood- win of Kentucky secured Campaspie 3d for $1,000. A still better sale was that of Wil- liam Miller's, where thirty-five animals com- manded an average of $583. Col. Holloway was a liberal buyer upon this occasion also, se- curing Princess of Atha for $725, Wave Duch- ess at $660 and the Kinellar-bred Golden Drop 2d at $775. Still Bates blood was on top, Ware & McGoodwin paying $3,360 for Fennel Duchess 7th and $1,200 for Fennel Duchess of Lancaster. B. B. Groom took the Craggs 7th Duchess of Winfield at $805 and Warnock the Bell-Bates Duchess of Springwood at $1,225. Birrell & Johnston of Canada also sold some good cattle in this series, including two Scotch Golden Drops that fetched $850 and $550 re- spectively from local buyers. That a lively trade at full figures was to characterize the year in the Central West was foreshadowed by the spring sales as well as by the private trans- fers. Mr. Pickrell received $1,000 early in the year for the young bull Breastplate Louanjo, by the famous Breastplate out of a Louan cow by imp. Baron Booth of Lancaster, the buyer being B. Vantress of Maiden, 111. In Virginia George W. Palmer sold a Craggs cow to A. M. Bowman at $1,700. Vol. IV of the Kentucky Short-horn Record was announced as ready for delivery at $8, a price quite on a parity with A GOLDEN AGE. 471 prevailing values for cattle. In March Wil- liam Stewart of Illinois held a successful sale, at which Mr. R. H. Austin of Sycamore, 111., gave $1,900 for 1st Duchess Louan and $1,500 for 2d Lady of Racine. N. P. Clarke of St. Cloud, Minn., entered the lists here, taking among other lots Caroline 6th at $810. Dur- ing this same month Col. Holloway journeyed to Mr. Cochrane's and bought the 4th Duke of Hillhurst for $7,000, and Messrs. Grimes and Montgomery of Ohio sold the 3d Duke of Oneida to Ware & McGoodwin of Kentucky for $12,000. Glen Flora dispersion. — The closing out of the Glen Flora Herd of Mr. C. C. Parks at Wau- kegan, III., in April drew out a great attend- ance from far and near and resulted in an average of $612 on 122 head of cattle. The best prices of the day were as follows: $2,500 for Peri of Fairview from Mr. Megibben; $2,000 for Oxford Bloom 4th from same buyer; $2,000 for Bright Eyes Duchess 2d from George Otley; $1,800 for 6th Duchess Louan from N. P. Clarke and $1,600 from same buyer for Peri's Duchess; $1,500 for the bull Baron Bates 3d 11332 from George Otley; $1,325 for Victoria of Glen Flora from Mr. Megibben; $1,200 for 2d Rose of Racine from H. F. Brown of Minne- apolis; $1,225 for Oxford Gwynne 5th from William Miller, Atha, Ont.; $1,850 for Princess 472 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. of Oxford 7th from N. P. Clarke; $1,550 for Atlantic Gwynne 2d from George Grimes of Ohio; $1,200 for Princess Gwynne and a like sum for Oxford Bloom from J. R. Shelley of Illinois; $1,200 for Jubilee Gwynne 2d from Mr. Grimes, etc. Large purchases were made by Hon. William M. Smith, Lexington, 111., Albert Crane, Durham Park, Kan., and many others afterward prominent in the trade. Kissinger's sale. — This important sale was followed by another from the herd of J. H. Kissinger of Missouri, who received an average of $606 for forty-one head. It was here that Ed lies gave $2,200 for- the bull Kissinger's Breastplate 17476, sired by old Breastplate out of imp. Primula by Falstaff (21720). The same buyer also took Mazurka of Lin wood at $1,600. George Otley increased his investment in high- priced stock by paying $1,180 for 3d Louan of Linwood and $1,650 for Orphan Gwynne. Al- bert Crane bought Miss Wiley of Linwood at $1,200 and J. H. Spears & Son gave $1,000 for Illustrious 3d. Elliott & Kent.— This Iowa firm had been liberal buyers of cattle for several years and this spring placed sixty-one head on the mar- ket that averaged $559. The sensational event of this sale was the purchase of the Princess cow 4th Tuberose of Brattleboro by Col. Rob- ert Holloway at $3,500 and the high price A GOLDEN AGE. 473 brought by other specimens of that famous old family. W. E. Simms of Paris, Ky., paid $1,810 for 2d Red Rose of Brattleboro. George Grimes of Ohio gave $1,550 for 13th Lady Sale of Brattleboro and $1,150 for 39th Lady Sale of Putney. J. R. Shelley took 37th Lady Sale of Putney at $1,050. All these were primarily descended from the Stephenson Prin- cess tribe, from whence Mr. Bates obtained Bel- vedere. At this sale A. Ludlow of Monroe, Wis., bought Mazurka Duchess 2d at $1,700 and Albert Crane took Louan 5th of Elm Grove at $1,400. Spears and the Nelly Blys. — J. H. Spears & Son made a memorable sale this spring, which had for its most interesting feature great prices for a family of cows built up in their herd from a descendant of the roan cow Lady Elizabeth (by Emperor), brought out from England in 1839 by the Fayette Co. (Ky.) Importing Co. and sold at their sale for $660. These Nelly Blys, as they are still called, were fine show cattle, as well as capital breeders, and at this sale nine head of cows and heifers belonging to it sold for $11,350, an average of $1,261. The top price for these was $1,825, paid by Mrs. Kimberly of West Liberty, la., for Nelly Bly 4th. Most of them were daughters of Gen. Grant 4825. Still higher prices were made, however, by a pair of Loudon Duchesses, the 474 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. 13th and 17th of the line, the former, by 5th Duke of Geneva, going to S. W. Jacobs of West Liberty, la., at $3,200, and the latter, by 21st Duke of Airdrie, to E. K. Thomas of North Middletown, Ky., at $2,750. Mr. E. C. Lewis paid $1,600 for Magenta 2d, by Gen. Grant, and J. E. Conover, Petersburg, 111., took her dam, the McMillan-bred Magenta, by Plantagenet, at $1,325. James N. Brown's Sons of Grove Park, Sangamon Co., 111., paid $1,995 for High- land Lady 2d, by Royal Oakland 9034, tracing to imp. Western Lady, by the celebrated Grand Turk (12969). This cow's heifer by Col. Towne: ley 13691 went to Mr. Conover at $1,750. C. w! Goff of Monmouth, 111., bought 14th Louan of Woodlawn, a daughter of the Woodburn-bred Laudable 5890, at $1,650. Duchess of York 9th, a Canadian-bred roan, fetched $1,000 from Al- bert Crane. The imported cow Lady High- thorn was bought by Mr. Conover at $1,000. The Cruickshank cow Violet's Forth, then in her ninth year and belonging to a family of cattle practically unknown at that time in the West, went to Mrs. Kimberly at $1,000. The 21st Duke of Airdrie was purchased by Gen. Lippincott at $10,500. The forty head sold brought an average of $1,163. Pickrell's great sale.— J. H. Pickrell's sale of twenty-three head at Decatur, 111., April 27. 1875, at an average of $1,265 stands next to A GOLDEN AGE. 475 Col. King's Dexter Park average of 1874 as the highest ever made in the Western States. The celebrated show bull Breastplate 11431, for which Mr. Pickrell had paid $6,000, was bought by Mrs. Kimberly for $6,100. This bull was a red, bred by Hon. M. H. Cochrane from Star of the Realm 9150 out of Bright Lady by Lord Blithe (22126). He was largely of Booth blood and at the shows of 1872 and 1873 had won over $1,000 in cash prizes. Some fine speci- mens of the Bedford Bride family and choice show things of the Louan sort brought " four figures." A. E. Kimberly paid $2,850 for the red cow Lady Bride, by imp. Baron Booth of Lancaster out of Bride 15th by Airdrie 2478. E. W. Miller, Raymond, 111., took the splendid roan Baron Booth of Lancaster heifer Louan Hill 5th, then three years old, at $2,000. Wil- liam and W. Pickrell bought Louan Hill 4th, a four-year-old roan, also by Baron Booth of Lan- caster, at $1,925, and resold her to Col. Robert Holloway for $2,225. Louan Hill 3d, a red- roan five-year-old daughter of Sweepstakes 6230, went to L. B. Wing of Bement, 111., at $1,225. Another Baron Booth of Lancaster heifer, Caroline Cochrane (out of an llth Duke, of Airdrie cow tracing to imp. Caroline by Ar- row), was bought by J. H. Kissinger & Co. for $1,800. The red-roan two-year-old heifer Jubi- lee Napier fell to the bidding of A. E. Kimberly 476 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. at $1,600. She was by imp. Gen. Napier (26239), the Booth bull that Messrs. Parks sold to Col. Stephen Dunlap in 1873 for $5,000 and bought back in 1874 at same price. The Caroline, by Dashwood, heifer Detura, another daughter of Baron Booth of Lancaster, was secured by J. R. Shelley at $1,100. The imported Booth cow Amelia, bred by Messrs. Dudding, was pur- chased by Thomas Windle, Lincoln, 111., at $1,025. Her yearling bull Royal Baron 18238, by Baron Booth of Lancaster, was taken by William and W. Pickrell at $1,000. At a combination sale held at Bloomington, 111., in April Mr. C. M. Niccolls sold Princessa 2d, a red of Abram Van Meter's breeding, sired by Airdrie Duke 5306 out of a Princess dam, to J. V. Grigsby of Winchester, Ky., for $2,000, the same buyer taking Mazurka of Lyndale 4th at $1,825. At the same sale E. L. Davisori of Kentucky paid $1,450 for Oxford Grwynne. Jacobs' sale at West Liberty. — At West Liberty, la., April 14, 1875, occurred the sale of Mr. S. W, Jacobs, the first ever held at that point. Eighty-three cattle averaged $614, and the attendance was estimated at 1,500. This was one of the memorable events of the period. The Lady Sale Princess cow Maude, by Earl of Grass Hill 8071, was bid off at the extraordi- nary price of $7,200, and her yearling heifer by Col. Wood 13692— Princess Maude— at $2,800. A GOLDEN AGE. 477 Mrs. Ember jy gave $2,025 for the fine show heifer 3d Gem of Eryholme, bred by Messrs. Parks and sired by imp. Gen. Napier. D. M. Flynn took the Vellum heifer Lady King at $2,025 and the massive 1,800-lb. Cruickshank Secret cow imp. Sylvia, by Champion of Eng- land— the great cow of the sale — at $2,500. J. W. Handley of Mount Vernon, la., bought For- est Queen (of McMillan's breeding and sired by Plantagenet 6031) at $1,550, and George Chase bid off the McMillan cow Louan of Slausondale at $1,100. M. Bunker, Tipton, la., purchased the "crack" Kissinger show cow Bettie Stewart (running to imp. Daisy by Wild) at $1,425, and Mrs. Kimberly bought imp. Royal Booth (of Game breeding and out of Malmsey) for $1,075, Scottish Lady, by Col. King's imp, Scotsman, at $1,425, the noted Kissinger Caro- line (by Dashwood) show cow Russie Pierce at $1,500 and Fannie Pierce of same family at $1,100. C. S. Barclay took the roan show heifer British Baron's Gem, by imp. British Baron, at $1,000. This was a grand lot of cat- tle. Many of the cows weighed from 1,600 to 1,800 Ibs. and were neat as well as large. As illustrating the character of the demand for Short-horns at this time Mr. C. S. Barclay tells us that the evening after this sale he sold nearly $2,000 worth of cattle, some of which were bought by the light of a lantern! The 478 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. fact is that the only way a man could keep a cow in those days was to refuse to price her. West Liberty became a great Short-horn breed- ing center, a distinction which it has ever since held. Milton Briggs of Kellogg, la., sold on the day following the West Liberty sale 122 head at an average of $308. This sale was remarkable for the large number sold and the uniformity of values maintained. But two animals passed the $1,000 mark, one; Anna Clark, at $1,075, to S. Corbin, Paris, Ky., and the other, Jubilee of Spotwood, at $1,025, to W. M. Blair, Inland, la. Dexter Park auctions. — In May a notable series of sales occurred at Dexter Park, Chi- cago. On the 19th some long prices were again *nade by the Princess family, the occasion being the sale of L. W. Towne of Clarence, Mo. These were descendants of the Lady Sale branch of the tribe, coming through Highland Maid, one of whose daughters brought $7,200 at the Ja- cobs sale already mentioned. Col. William E. Simms of Kentucky was the heaviest buyer, taking the three-year-old Highland Maid 7th at $3,600, Highland Maid 5th at $1,900 and Highland Maid 4th at $1,125. For Highland Maid 8th Robert Otley gave $1,600. At this same sale Col. Simmes paid $1,600 for Lady Hester 3d and $1,025 for Lady Hester, both Lady Sale Princesses. On May 20 J. P. San- A GOLDEN AOE. 479 born of Port Huron, Mich., received $2,600 for the Craggs co.w Duchess of Huron, by 22d Duke of Airdrie, from John R. Craig of Edmonton, Can., and $1,500 from same buyer for her dam, 2d Duchess of Springwood, then ten years old. T. Hickman of Ashland, Mo., gave $1,025 for the Ohio Rose of Sharon. Crystal Queen 5th. A few Scotch-bred cattle were included in this sale and met with fair appreciation, the im- ported cow WastelFs Jenny Lind 7th, by Lord of the Isles, falling to Mr. Heckman's bidding at $800. The Avery & Murphy sale. — On May 21 Avery & Murphy of Port Huron followed with a sale of seventy-five head averaging $670. The yearling Bates-topped Peri heifer Peri 2d of Lyndale, of Col. King's breeding and sired by the $14,000 bull 2d Duke of Hillhurst, was taken by S. W. Jacobs of Iowa at $4,000. The 18th Duke of Airdrie cow Miss Wiley 4th was bought by Col. Simmes of Kentucky for $2,675, and the roan Miss Wiley 25th, by 10th Duke of Thorndale/by same buyer at $1,825. The 2d Louan of Glen Flora at $2,350; the Ohio Rose of Sharon cow Rose of Fairholme 4th (of Judge Jones' breeding) at $1,275, and the imported Kinellar-bred Scotch cow Wastell's Golden Drop 4th at $1,100, all fell to the persistent bidding of Col. Robert Holloway. The 'Aber- deenshire cattle were not well known in the 480 A HISTORY* OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. West at this time, but their merit was begin ning to win them many friend^ and at this sale Mrs. E. Byram of Abingdon, 111., bought the Cruickshank cow Michigan Casket, by Sen- ator (27441) out of Cactus by Champion of Eng- land, at $1,725; the mixed-bred imp. Michigan Daisy and Welcome at $1,000 and $1,025 re- spectively. For the fine imported show cow Joan of Arc, of mixed English breeding, Albert Crane paid $1,000. The 23d Duke of Airdrie was sold at this sale to J. P. Sanborn for $9,600. On the 22d day of May at same place J. R. Shelly sold the Princess cow 37th Lady Salo of Putney to E. L. Davison of Kentucky for $1,600, and Princess 3d to D. Eichholtz of Shannon, 111., for $1,150. Also Mazurka Duch- ess 3d to Campbell & Chase of West Lib- erty, la., for $1,550, and the roan Victoria cow Venus to J. P. Sanborn, Port Huron, Mich., for $1,000. Long Prices at Meredith's. — On May 28 at Cambridge City, Ind., S. Meredith & Son made a great sale of fifty-three head, averaging $829. It was here that the famous Woodburn-bred cow Mazurka 36th, by Star of the Realm 11021 out of Mazurka 31st by 12th Duke of Airdrie, brought $4,005, the buyer being J. C. Jenkins of Petersburg, Ky. Mazurka of Lyndale, by 17th Duke of Airdrie, and her heifer calf Oak- land Mazurka, by 2d Duke of Hillhurst, were A GOLDEN AGE. 481 taken for George Fox of Cheshire, Eng., at $3,100 and $2,500 respectively. The Rose of Sharon cow Grace 4th, bred by Mr. William Warfield and sired by Muscatoon 7057 out of Grace by Airdrie 2478, at $3,000, and the roan yearling heifer Craggs Duchess of Cambridge, by 22d Duke of Airdrie, at $2,400, went to John R. Craig of Canada. The red Victoria cow Va- leria, bred by George Murray and sired by 17th Duke of Airdrie, was taken by R. H. Prewitt of Kentucky at $1,800. Duchess Cadenza, a Cy- press cow by 10th Duke of Thorndale, and her yearling heifer brought $3,150 from Benjamin Sumner of Woodstock, Conn. The Young Mary cow Miss Washington 3d, by the great Ken- tucky breeding bull Airdrie Duke 5306, and her heifer calf Lady Geneva, by 4th Duke of Geneva, were taken by James Mix, Kankakee, Hi; at $2,150. The imported cow 2d Lady, of F. H. Fawkes' breeding, went to Ed lies at $1,250. For the show cow Maggie Stone (by Airdrie Duke 5306 out of a Margaret, by Snow- ball, dam). Hon. Pliny Nichols of West Liberty, la., gave $1,000. Rigdon Huston of Blandins- ville, 111., bought the show bull imp. British Baron 13557, of Col. Towneley's breeding, then five years old, for $975. The Messrs. Meredith sold privately, after the conclusion of the sale, the Bates-bred 5th Duchess of Springwood to Mr. Craig for $2,000. 482 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLEC Airdrie Duchesses at $18,000 each.— Mr. Fox, the English buyer of the Mazurkas at this sale, bought privately from Mr. A. J. Alexander that excellent bull 24th Duke of Airdrie for $12,000, and the 20th Duchess of Airdrie at $18,000 for exportation, and from Gen. N. M. Curtis of Ogclensburg and James W. Wadsworth of same place a number of Prin- cesses. About this same time Mr. Alexander sold to E. H. Cheney of England the 16th Duchess of Airdrie for $17,000. At a sale from the herd of Mr. Cochrane, held in June, 1875, at Toronto, Airdrie Duchess 5th was bought by Avery & Murphy for $18,000, arid the 5th Duke of Hillhurst by Mark S. Cockrill of Tennessee for $8,300. 4th Louan of Slausondale was taken by B. B. Groom at $2,850. Messrs. Beattie & Miller sold some cat- tle at high prices at same time, receiving $3,000 for Princess of Oxford 4th, a like sum for Prin- cess Maud, $2,200 for Princess of Raby, $2,700 for Surmise Duchess 5th, $2,400 for Surmise Duchess 10th, $3,100 for Duchess of Raby, $4,600 for Kirklevirigton Princess 2d, $4,025 for Kirklevington Duchess 8th, and $2,300 for Careless 8th — thirty-four females averaging $1,226 each. Another important transaction in the spring of 1875 was the purchase by Avery & Murphy of the entire high-priced herd of Col. L. G. A GOLDEN AGE. 483 Morris, including five of his purchases at New York Mills. Big sales in the Blue Grass. — The Kentucky summer sales of 1875 were well attended, and Renick, Vanmeter and Bates blood commanded great prices. At Ben F. Vanmeter's twenty Rose of Sharons brought $44,340, an average of $2,217, C. D. Chenault of Richmond, Ky., taking Julia's Rose at $3,900, and H. P. Thom- son of Kentucky 2d Cambridge Lady at $5,550. Poppy 5th was bought for Earl Bective at $2,000. At the same sale twelve Red Roses (Young Marys) averaged $890, Messrs. Groom paying the top, $2,350, for Red Rose llth. At E. S. Cunningham's the Grooms paid $4,150 for Duchess of Sharon, and Messrs. Meredith $1,600 for Rose of Wicken. At J. G. Kinnaird's B. Sumner of Connecticut gave $2,650 for Oneida Rose, Messrs. Meredith $2,050 for Minna of Elk Hill, and Emory Cobb $1,600 for Mazurka 25th. At William Lowry's J. W. Bean of Winchester, Ky., gave $2,380 for Valeria. At Walter Han- dy's Messrs. Meredith bought 4th Mazurka of Chesterfield at $3,500, Mr. Megibben gave $3,150 for Peri of Clifton and B. Sumner $2,025 for Grace Sharon. At Wesley Warnock's $2,675 was paid by L. F. Pierce of Kentucky for Cam- bridge Rose 3d, $2,250 by John R. Craig of Can- ada for Duchess of Springwood, and $1,600 by J. H. Spears & Sons for Miss Wiley of Vinewood. 484 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. At J. C. Jenkins' sale Mrs. Jesse Long of Iowa gave $2,125 for Mazurka 36th, George M. Bed- ford $2,500 for 4th Louan of Oakland and $2,000 for Louan of Prospect Farm, E. K. Thomas $2,055 for Blooming Heath 2d, and J. H. Spears took Mazurka 33d at $1,650. Mr. Jenkins' fif- teen head averaged $1,274. Pushing the Princesses. — While the cham- pions of this fine old sort did not score as dazzling a success during this speculative era as might have been anticipated in view of Belvedere's brilliant career and the conceded dual-purpose capacity of the tribe, still they enlisted the support of several daring spirits prominent in the trade during these halcyon days of Short-horn prosperity. The American-bred Princesses were all de- scended from the three imported cows. Red Rose 2d, Lady Sale 2d and Tuberose 2d. Those tracing to Red Rose 2d were unquestionably the best. Wherever they were fairly treated and intelligently bred they displayed fine sub- stance, thick flesh and scale, as well as dairy propensity. The Princesses had been largely in the hands of dairymen in the New England States, and were treated as dairy stock, de- veloping milking qualities of the highest order. The Tuberose branch manifested a tendency to present dark noses; a point which has never met with the favor of the fraternity of Short- A GOLDEN AGE. 485 horn breeders. Prominent among those inter- ested in the Princesses in the East about, this time may be mentioned Messrs. A. W. Gris- wold, a New York lawyer who had a farm in Vermont that was in charge of J. 0. Sheldon's old herdsman, Mr. Williams, one of the best men of his profession England has ever given to this country; D. S. Pratt, a clothing mer- chant at Brattleboro, Vt., who was in the busi- ness purely as a speculation and not because of any special love for the cattle; the Messrs. Winslow of Putney, Vt., who were practical farmers and dairymen; the Messrs. Wadsworth of Geneseo, N. Y.; A. B. Conger, Haverstraw, N. Y.; T. L. Harison, Morley, N. Y.; Col. John B. Taylor,* London, Ont., and Richard Gibson of Canada, who bought and exported a number of cattle of this tribe to England. These were reinforced by Col. William S. King of Minne- sota, Col. W. E. Simms of Paris, Ky.; B. B. Groom, Winchester, Ky., and others. In July, 1875, Mr. C. F. Wadsworth, after conferring with leading owners of Princesses throughout the country, issued a small volume entitled "A Record of Princess Short-horns in America/' * Col. Taylor was an English army officer who had served with his reg. Iment, the Sixtieth Rifles, in the Crimea. He settled in Canada and was made Deputy Adjutant-General in command of the militia of the district in which he resided. He bought a small place near London and beg-an breed- Ing Short-horns with marked success. He was a great enthusiast and one Df the closest students of pedigrees of his day. Probably his greatest suc- cess was with tho Bates Cragjrs tribe. He died a few years since at Winni- peg while in command of that military district. 486 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. which, it was expected, would assist in build- ing up a Princess aristocracy by separating the pedigrees of cattle of that tribe from the great mass of records carried by the Short-horn Herd Book. As might have been anticipated, how- ever, and as was predicted by some of the level heads in the Princess camp, this attempt at "exclusiveness" was resented by the breeders at large. While long prices were established for a time the manipulations of speculators failed to attain for any extended period their cherished object. In common with other tribes that were at this time largely at the mercy of those who were handling Short-horns for spec- ulative purposes only — and often with violent disregard of correct principles and practice— the Princesses suffered more or less deteriora- tion; the blame for which, as in the case of the Bates tribes, rested upon the folly of reckless men rather than upon the hapless cattle that were made the subject of egregious blundering. In August, 1875, Aim-on W. Griswold sold in the historic Duchess ring at New York Mills five Princesses for $18,100, an average of $3,620 each, the top being $5,600 for Lady Mary 2d to Richard Gibson for Col. King. The laird of Lyndale also obtained Lady Mary at $4,000 and Avery & Murphy got Lady Mary 9th at $2,200 and 6th Lady Sale of Brattleboro at $3,300. Several Gwynnes — near kin to the A GOLDEN AGE. 487 Princesses — also sold well, Gibson paying $3,000 for one and $1,900 for another. These traced to Tanqueray's Minerva 4th, imported by Morris & Becar. At this same sale 7th Lord of Oxford 17586 fetched $3,700 and Avery & Murphy paid $3,000 for Peri 3d. The thirty- three animals disposed of brought $56,000, an average of $1,697. As a matter of fact the Gwynnes of this pe- riod ranked with the best Short-horns of their time. Indeed for many years, while the old Princess sort and their cousins the Elviras and "Js" were still in comparative obscurity, under the skillful management of careful handlers in Cumberland and the North the Gwynnes were making Short-horn history. Their intrinsic merit and solid worth, their grand flesh and scale, their finish and dairy quality gained for the Gwynnes the plaudits of the entire coun- try-side even in the very heart of the old Short- horn country. As one after another of these handsome specimens of the breed made their appearance in the English show-yards and sale- rings their name became a bye-word, synony- mous with symmetry and persistent quality. "The Gwynnes can't be downed," an expres- sion often heard in those days across the At- lantic, meant that no matter what cross or alien blood was resorted to the Gwynne char- acter seemed to assert itself. Richard Gibson, 488 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. appreciating fully their position abroad, be- came an ardent supporter of the tribe on this side, and many breeders subsequently profited largely by the presence of Gwynne cows and heifers in their pastures. The late Simon Beat- tie offered Gibson $4,000 for one specimen of the family to b_e exported to England. At H. P. Thomson's sale of 1875 in Ken- tucky six Princesses were disposed of at a val- uation of $15,725, an average of $2,620. D. L. Hughes of Iowa took two, paying $4,100 for Lady Sale 29th and $1,700 for 2d Tuberose of Grass Hill. D. S. Pratt of Vermont acquired Lady Sale 29th on a bid of $4,000. Avery & Murphy paid $2,500 for Lady Sale 31st. S. V. Jacobs of Iowa bought Lady Sale 36th at $1,800 and John Collard of the same State be- came the owner of 6th Tuberose of Brattleboro at $1,625, At this sale Emory Cobb of Illinois took Constance of Putney 4th at $1,950 and E. Stedman of Massachusetts bought Blush of Glen Flora at $2,750. The $1,000 mark was passed sixteen times during the sale, the ninety-six head sold fetching a total of $53,070, an average of $553. The Trans-Mississippi trade. — The summer of 1875 was a season of sore trial and tribu- lation to the farmers beyond the Missouri River on account of the ravages of grasshop- pers. Feed was in short supply in the newer A GOLDEN AGE. 489 West, so when Mr. J. G. Cowan of Missouri, the owner of the $3,000 show and breeding bull London Duke 6th 10399, arranged for a public sale, to include that distinguished ani- mal, it was decided to offer the stock at Ot- tumwa, la. The event occurred Aug. 18, and with the exception of the fine Young Mary cow Grace Young 3d everything was taken by Iowa and Missouri breeders, the thirty-six head commanding $19,340, an average of $537. Lou- don Duke 6th was bid off by E. Gilliston of Mound City, Mo., at $1,950; S. W. Jacobs gave $1,000 for London's Minna; D. A. Rouner of Newark, Mo., $1,000 for Red Daisy of Fairview 5th, and J. G. Strawn of Illinois a like sum for the Mary cow above mentioned. In September, 1875, D. M. Flynn of Des Moines made an average of $699 on eighteen head. D. L. Hughes of Vinton had opposition on Roan Princess up to $3,500 and S. W- Jacobs had to carry the Scotch-bred Minnie's Annandale 2d to $2,000. For Lady King the same buyer paid $1,500. Dr. George Sprague of Des Moines sold nineteen head in connec- tion with Mr. Flynn that made an average of $592. Red Daisy of Fairview 4JJi, that the Doctor had bought at the Cowan sale for $710, fell here to D. L. Hughes' bidding at $1,550. For Oakwood Miss Wiley John Collard paid 490 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. $1,100. 2d Duke's Gem went to A. W. Thom- son of Kentucky at $1,200. At John Collard's sale the red six-year-old Scotch-bred imported cow Raspberry, by Prince of Worcester, was taken by William Hastie, Somerset, la., at $1,200. For Lady Dahlia the same price was given by J. D Brown of Omaha. $3,500 for a Scotch heifer.— Shortly before this Mrs. A. E. Kimberley of West Liberty, la. had broken the record for Scotch-bred cattle by paying J. H. Kissinger $3,500 for the cele brated Cruickshank show heifer imp. Orange Blossom 18th. Short-horns were enjoying a great "boom" west of the Mississippi. Mention has been made of some of the more notable purchases of Mr. Albert Crane of Durham Park, Kan., at auction sales. About this time he bought some Booth-bred cattle from Mr. Coffin of Maryland, and from F. W. Belden, Kaneville, 111., he se- cured for stock purposes the Booth-bred Hec- uba bull Lord of the Lake at $1,000. He man- ifested his interest in Bates blood, however, by purchasing privately about this same date from Mr. Alexander of Woodburn the white bull Lord Bates 3d, by 24th Duke of Airdrie, at $1,000. Groom importations and sale. — One of the most prominent of the breeders and import- ers of this period was Mr. B. B. Groom of A GOLDEN AGE. 491 Vinewood Farm, near Winchester, Clark Co., Ky. In April, 1875, the firm of B. B. Groom & Son imported from England thirty-one head of Bates-bred cattle, belonging mainly to families originated by the Messrs. Bell ; included in the shipment being the roan 8th Maid of Oxford, of Sheldon's breeding, that had been exported to England some years previous. In July of the same year Messrs. Groom imported 7th Maid of Oxford and her bull calf and the roan bull 8th Duke of Geneva (28390), both of Shel- don's breeding. These had been bought at Leney.'s sale at $10,000 for the Duke and $3,325 for the Oxford cow and calf. On Oct. 14 a number of these imported cattle, together with a selection of American-bred stock, was offered at public sale, and the event drew out a great attendance from all parts of the United States. The prices paid and the wide distribution of the animals indicate the remarkable character of the demand at this time for Short-horns carrying the Bates blood. We append here- with a summary as to the leading lots, together with the general averages : 22d Duchess of Airdrie— J. H. Spears & Sons, Illinois . . . . „ .$17,500 Kirklevington Duchess 18th— John R. Craig, Canada 5,150 Brightness— Benjamin Sumner, Connecticut 5,100 Highland Maid 6th— J. C. Tyler, Vermont 5,050 Duchess of Clarence — J. H. Spears & Sons 4,100 Kirklevington Lady 6th— A very & Murphy, Michigan 3,900 2d Duchess of Clarence— J. H. Spears & Sons 3,175 Wild Eyes Rose— W. N. Offutt, Kentucky 8,050 Kirklevington Lady 3d— J. V. Grigsby, Kentucky 8,000 492 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Princess of Vine wood 1st — D. L. Hughes, Iowa 3,000 Georgia Hillhurst 3d— Avery & Murphy 2,800 Duchess of Kingscote— J. V. Grigsby 2,550 Kirklevington Lady 4th — Avery & Murphy 2,550 Fennel Duchess of Knightley Hall— T. J. Megibben, Ken- tucky 2,500 2d Lady Bates of Vinewood— E. S. Bussing, New York 2,000 Kirklevington Lady 5th— Henry Cor bin, Kentucky 2,OOC Annette of Knightley Hall— John Collard, Iowa 2,000 Wild Flower Duchess— N. .G. Pond, Connecticut 1,900 Duchess of Knightley Hall-John Collard 1,850 Highland Maid 7th— D. L. Hughes 1,700 Wild Eyes of Horton Park— W. N. Offutt, Kentucky 1,700 Lady Sale 10th— D. L. Hughes 1,600 Princess of Vinewood 2d— J. V. Grigsby 1,550 3d Lady Bates of Vinewood— E. S. Bussing, New York 1,500 Rosa Bonheur 8th— Avery & Murphy 1,400 Ruby Duchess— John R. Craig 1,225 Bright Eyes 9th— T. Stedman & Son, Massachusetts ... 1,175 Duenna Duchess 7th— J. H. Spears & Sons 1,125 Victoria llth— J. G. Cowan, Missouri 1,050 Duenna Duchess 6th — B. Sumner & Co., Connecticut 1,050 Jubilee Oxford 4th— J. V. Grigsby 1,000 Sanspareil 10th— J. H. Spears & Sons 1,000 Oxford Geneva— D. L. Hughes, Iowa 5,000 2d Compton Lord Wild Eyes— John Collard, Iowa 2,500 3d Duke of Under-Edge— John Collard 2,100 2d Duke of Under-Edge— Hon. William M. Smith, Illinois. . 1,650 1st Duke of Under-Edge— Mrs. Jesse Long, Iowa 1,050 64 females sold for $109,445; an average of $1,710 9 bulls sold for 14,015 ; an average of 1,557 73 animals sold for 123,460 ; an average of 1,691 Other important transactions. — At H. D. Ayres' sale Mr. Groom bought Hilpa Duchess at $2,500; at W. L. Sudduth's a pair of Miss Washingtons (Young Marys) fetched $2,000; at John W. Prewitt's B. F. Vanmeter gave $1,000 for a Gentle Annie Phyllis, and at B. P. GofFs Mr. J. H. Pickrell took Bright Lady of the A GOLDEN AGE. 493 Realm at $4,000. This Booth heifer was out of Bright Lady, the dam of Breastplate. At Wesley Warnock's seventy-three females sold for $29,510, an average of $404, L. F. Pierce of Maysville giving $2,675 for Cambridge Rose 3d, John R. Craig of Canada $2,250 for Duchess of Springwood, and J. H. Spears & Son $1,600 for Miss Wiley of Vinewood. At J. C. Jenkins' sale fifteen head brought the great average of $1,274, Mrs. Jesse Long of Iowa going to $2,125 for Mazurka 36th; George M. Bedford bid $2,500 for 4th Louan of Oakland and $2,000 for Louan of Prospect Farm ; E. K. Thomas followed Bloom- ing Heath 2d to $2,055, and J. H. Spears went to $1,650 on Mazurka 33d. Mr. Warfield sold to John Comstock of In- diana the bull calf Loudon Duke 12th, by imp. Robert Napier, at $1,500. Gen. Meredith & & Son bought 3d Mazurka at $2,000, Julia 3d at $1,000 and Martha Muscatoon at $1,000 from C. M. Niccolls, Bloomington, 111. All records broken at Dunmore. — On Wednesday, Aug. 25, 1875, the greatest aver- age ever made at an auction sale of cattle in the world was obtained by Lord Dunmore at a draft sale held on the Earl's estate near Stir- ling, Scotland, upon which occasion thirty- nine head brought the enormous total of SI 49,336, an average of $3,829 on the entire lot. It was here also that the greatest price 494 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. ever obtained for a bull of any breed was paid, to-wit.r 4,500 gs., which reduced to American gold at that date was the equivalent of $26,904, the bull being Duke of Connaught (33604) of the Bates Duchess tribe. It is of special interest to American breeders to note that the best price made at this sale by a female was by a representative of the Renick Rose of Sharon family, and that the sire of Duke of Connaught was the American-bred Duke of Hillhurst (28401), that was bred by Hon. M. H. Cochrane from the 14th Duke of Thorndale (28459). Furthermore, the high- priced Oxford females sold were the produce of the 8th and llth Maids of Oxford, bred in New York and exported in 1871. In addition to this the second highest-priced bull of the sale — and the sire of a number of the most val- uable heifers offered — was the American-bred 3d Duke of Hillhurst (30975), by 6th Duke of Geneva (30959). The case of Duke of Connaught is unique in the annals of stock-breeding for the reason that he proved to be one of the most successful sires of high-class Short-horns ever used in Great Britain, and so great was the demand for jtock of his get on account of their conceded excel- lence that the buyer of the bull, Lord Fitzhar- dinge of Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire, re- ceived in stud fees and for Connaught calves A GOLDEN AGE. 495 an aggregate sum of money which more than reimbursed him for his extraordinary outlay at Dunmore. This was indeed an outstanding example of the fact that if one is certain of his premises in seeking to estimate the proba- ble value of a stock bull it is difficult to place any limit within reasonable bounds upon the price to be paid. This sale was conducted by Mr. John Thorn- ton, whose maiden effort on the auction block had been made at Rugby in 1868, in the em- ploy of the Rev. John Storer of Hellidon. * A list of the animals that brought $2,000 or up- ward is presented below, the English values being reduced to their current equivalent in American gold: COWS AND HEIFERS. Red Rose of the Isles, red, calved March 9, 1870; bred by Abram Renick, Kentucky; got by Airdrie 2478, dam Duchess 3d by Dandy Duke— Lord Bective $11,658 Marchioness of Oxford 3d, white, calved March 3, 1873 ; got by 2d Duke of Collingham (23730) out of 8th Maid of Ox- ford by 2d Duke of Geneva — Duke of Manchester 10,821 * The Hellidon sale was indeed a red-letter day in Mr. Thornton's career. Storer was quite an authority on Short-horns at that time and actively identified with the fortunes of the Booths. In common with Messrs. Torr, Ayhuer, Booth and their friends Mr. Storer felt that Strafford, who was at this date the presiding genius at all the great Short-horn sales, was too active in behalf of the breeders of Bates cattle. Thornton was in Straf- ford's employ, and the idea of encouraging a paid helper to usurp the throne of his employer was an unheard-of thing in England among such conservative men of means as were represented by the backers of the Booths. Nevertheless the Booth men brought Thornton out at the Helli- don sale, and, although it was bis first attempt with the sand glass, he proved his fitness for the work by keeping cool even under circumstances calculated to excite an old hand. 496 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Red Rose of Balmoral, red, calved Nov. 14, 1873 ; got by 3d Duke of Hillhurst (30975) out of the Rose of Sharon cow Red Rose of Braemar by llth Duke of Thorndale— Lord Bective $7, J53 Oxford Duchess 2d, roan, calved June 20, 1872; got by 2d Duke of Collingham (23730) out of llth Lady of Oxford by Baron of Oxford (23371)— Lord Fitzhardinge 5,978 Fuchsia 12th, roan, calved Feb. 15, 1872; got by Duke of Al- bany (25931) out of Fuchsia 10th by Grand Duke of York (24071)— T. Lister v 5,380 Water Flower, red- and- white, calved Dec. 20, 1871 ; got by 6th Duke of Geneva (30959) out of Waterloo 38th by Earl of Eglinton (23832)— T. Halford 8,706 Lady Worcester 5th, roan, calved March 30, 1869; got by 3d Duke of Claro (23729) out of Lady Worcester 3d by Charleston (21400)— A. H. Brassey 3,706 Blythesome Eyes, red, calved Dec. 22, 1874 ; got by 3d Duke of Hillhurst (30975) out of Wild Eyes Duchess by 9th Grand Duke (19879) —Lord Bective 3,617 Fuchsia 13th, roan, calved March 4th, 1872; got by Duke of Albany (25931) out of Fuchsia 9th by Grand Duke of York (24071) - J. W. Larking 3,886 Lady Worcester 12th, white, calved Nov. 15, 1872; got by 8th Duke of Geneva (28290) out of Lady Worcester 5th by 3d Duke of Claro (23729)— Lord Bective 8,318 Lady Worcester llth, white, calved Oct. 2, 1872; got by 3d Duke of Clara (23729) out of Lady Worcester 8d by 3d Duke of Wharfdale (21619) —Duke of Manchester 8,288 Lady Worcester 16th, roan, calved May 23, 1875 ; got by 3d Duke of Hillhurst (30975) —Lord Bective 8,288 Water Lily, red, calved June 25, 1874; got by 3d Duke of Hillhurst— T. Halford 3,108 Wild Eyes Duchess, red, calved Feb. 8, 1865; got by 9th Grand Duke (19879)— T. Wilson 2,869 Wild Eyebright, roan, calved Sept. 10, 1872 ; got by 6th Duke of Geneva (30959)— T. Wilson 2,720 Lady Worcester 13th, red-and-white, calved Jan. 28, 1874 ; got by 3d Duke of Hillhurst (30975)— George Fox 2,690 Lady Worcester 9th, red-and-white, calved Aug. 19, 1871 ; got by 3d Duke of Claro (23729) —Mr. Brogden 2,630 Hazel Eyes, roan, calved Nov. 80, 1874; got by 3d Duke of Hillhurst (30975)— H. J. Sheldon 2,391 Lady Worcester 15th, red, calved Feb. 1, 1875; got by 3d Duke of Hillhurst (30975)— R. Loder 2,152 A GOLDEN AGE. 497 Fuchsia 14th, roan, calved March 19, 1874; got by Duke of Albany (25931)— Mr. Lister $2,152 Wild Rose, red-and-white, calved Feb. 2, 18T2 ; got by 6th Duke of Geneva (30959) —Col. Kingscote 2,092 Sparkling Eyes, red-and-white, calved Nov. 18, 1873; got by 6th Duke of Geneva (30959) —Lord Feversha m 2,092 BULLS. Duke of Connaught (33C04), roan, calved Aug. 10, 1873; got by Duke of Hillhurst (28401) out of Duchess 108th by 8th Duke of York (28480)— Started at $10,000 and sold to Lord Fitzhardinge 26,904 3d Duke of Hillhurst (30975), red, calved Dec. 2, 1871; got by 6th Duke of Geneva (30959) out of Duchess 101st by 4th Duke of Thorndale (17750) — Started at f 5,000 and sold to J. W. Larking 17,936 30 females sold for $98,457.28 ; aa average of $3,281.91 9 bulls sold for 50,878.73 ; an average of 5,653.19 39 animals sold for 149,236.01 ; an average of 3,829.13 Torr's Triumph.— While the Bates flag flut- tered thfs defiance from its stronghold in the North, the broad pennant of the Booths was spread upon the autumn breeze from a moated manor house in Lincolnshire, where, under the guidance of the squire of Warlaby in person, the challenge met with a response that re- verberated throughout the Short-horn cattle- breeding world. Torr of Aylesby was dead. Warlaby had been passing through the fiery furnace of epi- demic foot-and-mouth, and now leaned for sup- port upon the great herd which the genius of "the first farmer of England" had builded by thirty years of unwavering devotion to Booth bulls. "The well-knit frame, the cheery sun- at-noonday smile, the organizing head, the 32 498 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. dauntless, warm heart whence welled unflag- ging energy, determined perseverance, elo- quent speech and endless hospitality'' was to be seen no more about the picturesque cot- tages or among the fine old trees of Aylesby, but the results of a long and useful life were in striking evidence in those rich East Anglian pastures. When it came to be known, there- fore, that the herd was to pass at auction on the 2d day of September, 1875, beneath the shifting sands of Thornton's fateful glass,* the very flower of England's Short-horn chivalry assembled to do honor to the memory of one of the most striking personalities British agri- culture has developed. Indeed the fame of Aylesby, its Short-horns, its Leicesters, its ponies and its well-kept fields had extended to the four corners of the earth. The story of how the great tenant-farmer had begun by leasing Leonard in 1844; of his persistent hir- ing of Mr. Booth's best sires; of his recourse to the Mantalinis of Barnes of Westland, Ireland, while Warlaby was contending with disease; of his creation of the Bright, Flower, the "G," the "M" and other famous Riby and Aylesby families, was familiar to all the well-informed cattle-breeders in Europe, America and Aus- *The English auctioneer uses a sand-glass in closing1 bids. After due warning the glass is held aloft and the sand allowed to run. The last bid in before the upper chamber of the glass empties itself Into the bottom secures the animal. A GOLDEN AGE. 499 tralia. Hence it came to pass that when the dispersion of the herd was announced visitors from far and near gathered literally by the thousand. Luncheon had been set for 1,500 guests, a great canvas accommodating 2,000 people was provided, and yet the crowds over- flowed all Aylesby and vicinity. Great landed proprietors and peers of the realm mingled with eminent breeders, all intent upon show- ing their respect and love for the man who had accomplished so much for his country's good. Factors, herdsmen and agents mingled with the throng, eagerly examining the cattle and making notes on the various lots prepara- tory to laying bids for absent principals. It was, in brief, a scene that has had few paral- lels in agricultural history; and the disposition of eighty-five head of Torr's own production for the great sum of $243,144.57 must be re- garded, all things considered, as the most re- markable result ever yet worked out by an individual breeder of Short-horns or any other class of cattle. Mr. Torr had once remarked, "It takes thirty years to make a herd and bring it to one's no- tion of perfection." Fortunately for himself and for the breed he lived to exactly that limit from the date when he first began his final breeding operations with Booth bulls as sires. He sought to produce animals combining supe- 500 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. rior quality, with faultless pedigree, uniformity of character and "hard, nay, iron constitu- tions." He bred for oblique shoulders, great fore ribs, strong loins, and heavy flesh possess- ing mellowness without softness, and covered with abundance of furry hair; avoiding at all times what is generally referred to as "loose handling." To his sound^ judgment, his un- equaled knowledge and experience, his un- changeable determination to keep his best "even when tempted by the golden hand of fashion" may be attributed the fact that his herd at the time of his death was called "the best large herd in Britain." Torr's favorite family was the Flower sort, descended in the maternal line from Robert Colling's Wildair; whose own brother, Phe- nomenon (491)— the sire of Angelina, the dam of Belvedere — was counted at Barmpton a bet- ter bull than Comet. The Aylesby Flowers traced to Wildair through the famous roan Nonpareil, the highest-priced cow at Robert Colling's sale of 1818 — sold to Earl Spencer at 370 guineas. The tribe came into Mr. Torr's hands in 1841 through Flora of Farnsfield, by Rinaldo (4949), a bull of Booth blood. The great cow Highland Flower (see sale list be- low) was of this family. The five head sold averaged $2,880. , The Ribys and Brights went back to Booth's A GOLDEN AGE. 501 Anna, by Pilot, through Rose, a cow bought by Whitaker at the Studley sale of 1834. Rose had two daughters, White Rose, by James Chrisp's Bull, and Red Rose, by Scrip (2604). The Brights came from the former and the Ribys from the latter. Although several crosses of extraneous blood intervened in the breeding of these Aylesby Annas between the Whitaker purchase of 1834 and the subsequent return to Warlaby lines in the hands of Mr. Torr in 1851 the reuniting of the Booth currents proved a happy stroke. Mr. T. C. Booth took advantage of the Aylesby dispersion to rejuvenate the herd at Warlaby by transferring the best of this sort to his own pastures. For Bright Em- press he was forced to pay the record price of $12,900 — the highest ever given for a cow of any breed at auction up to that date in Great Britain. The twenty-two Annas made the as- tounding average of $4,180 each. Mr. Torr's "G" and "M" tribes— so called from the fact that those were the initial letters used respectively in the family nomenclature- had a common origin in the herd of Mr. Rob- son. The ancestral dam of the "Gs" was Gold- en Beam, and of the "Ms" Moonbeam, both bought about 1840 and sired by Prince Comet (1342). The strongly-bred Warlaby bulls made a great impression upon this sound old founda- tion, producing many good Short-horns. The 502 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. "Beams" were reduced to but seven head at the sale, but made an average of $1,530 each, the "M" cow Mountain Vale fetching $2,500 from the Earl of Tankerville. Although a devout believer in Booth blood Torr had an eye for a good beast however bred. He was impressed at the Bates dispersion sale by the excellence of the Waterloos. Mr. Bates had bred and sold to Rev. T. Gator Waterloo 3d, by Norfolk, from which Mr. Gator had Water Witch, by 4th Duke of Northumberland (3649). The last-named cow was bought by Mr. Torr in 1845, and from her a large and meritorious fam- ily of Booth-topped Waterloos descended. In the herd catalogue for 1868 no less than forty cows and heifers were included. At the sale of 1875 twenty-one head brought an average of $1,275 each.* Several other families, including the Tellu- rias — descended from a cow of that name bred by Earl Spencer and sold to Gol. Towneley— *Mr. Torr regarded Bates' Duke of Northumberland (1940) as the "best show bull" he ever saw. It is related that he once went to Kirklevington to hire the 4th Duke of Northumberland, believing him to be even a better bull than the first Duke. An agreement as to price was made, but Mr. Bates added the stipulation that the bull must not serve more than twenty- five cows. Torr replied that he was willing to pay the price asked, but could not permit such a restriction upon his use. At that time he had about thirty cows and heifers. Bates repeated : "I should not like him to be put to more than twenty-five cows," whereupon Mr. Torr dropped the matter, saying: "Very well, Mr. Bates, you have got your bull and I have got my money." It is recorded that Mr. Torr had expressed, along with many other of Mr. Bates' visitors that year, an admiration for his three cows by Whitaker's Norfolk. These estimates did not meet with Mr. Bates' approval, and he finally sold two out of tae three, to-wit.: Blanch? ft! and Waterloo 3d, as some alleged "to get rid of the eulogy.' A GOLDEN AGE. 503 were included in the herd at the time of the sale, but we have not space to supply details concerning them. The following is a list of such animals only as brought $3,000 or upward at this extraordi- nary sale. As in the case of the foregoing re- port of the Dunmore sale, the English prices are reduced to their equivalent in American gold, which was at that date at a premium which rendered the English guinea worth $5.9787 : COWS AND HEIFERS. Bright Empress, roan, calved July 19, 1871; got by Lord Napier (26688) out of Bright Queen by Fitz-Clarence (14552)— Started at 15,000, sold to T. C. Booth, Warlaby. 112,914 Bright Saxon, roan, calved' Feb. 22, 1872; got by Royal Prince (27384) out of Bright Spangle by Prince of War- laby (15107)— T. C. Booth 8,997 Highland Flower, roan, calved Aug. 6, 1868 ; got by Mountain Chief (20383) out of Clarence Flower by Fitz-Clarence (14552)— Rev. T. Staniforth 8,968 Riby Marchioness, roan, calved March 31, 1875; got by Knight of the Shire (26552) out of Riby Peeress by Breastplate (19337)— Mr. Crosby of Ireland 7,533 Bright Marchioness, white, calved July 20, 1871; got by Lord Napier (25688) out of Bright Countess by Breast- plate (19337) -H. Chandos Pole-Gell 7,084 Bright Spangle, roan, calved March 8, 1866; got by Prince of Warlaby (15107) out of Bright Dew by British Prince (14197)— T. C. Booth 6,307 Bright Baroness, roan, calved Aug. 21, 1870; got by Lord Napier (26G88) out of Bright Countess by Breastplate (19337)— Mr. Mitchell of Scotland 5,978 Bright Design, roan, calved Feb. 7, 1875, got by Knight of the Shire (26552) out of Bright Spangle by Prince of Warlaby (15107)— T. C. Booth 5,081 Heather Flower, roan, calved July 10,1871; got by Lord Napier (26688) out of Highland Flower by Mountain Chief (20382)-Rev. Mr. Staniforth 5,978 504 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Bright Dowager, red, little white, calved Nov. 12, 1873; got by Duke of York (23804) out of Bright Queen by Fitz- Clarence (14552)— B. St. John Ackers $4,812 Kiby Pearl, white, calved Jan. 1, 1874; got by Knight of the Shire (26552) out of Riby Peeress by Breastplate— Hugh Aylmer 4,643 Bright JeweJ, roan, calved Feb. 1, 1874; got by Knight of the Shire (26552) out of Bright Spangle by Prince of Warlaby (15107)— T. C. Booth 4,633 Flower of Germany, red, calved April 13, 1869; got by Breastplate (19337)— T. H. Miller 4,543 Lowland Flower, roan, calved April 12, 1871 ; got by Manfred (26801)— B. St. John Ackers 4,782 Foreign Queen, roan, calved March 7, 1873; got by Blink- hoolie (23428) out of Foreign Empress by Fitz-Royal (26167)— Mr. Crosby of Ireland 4,812" Bright Queen, red-and-white, calved July 19, 1864; got by Fitz-Clarence (14552) out of Bright Princess— Lady Pigot 4,484 Riby Empress, red, calved Nov. 4, 1872; got by Duke of York (23804) -J. W. & E. Cruickshank, Scotland 4,484 Flower Alpine, red-and-white, calved Oct. 11, 1870; got by Lord Napier (26688)— Mr. McCulloch, Australia 4,244 Fair Saxon, red-and-white, calved March 11,1869; got by Breastplate (19337)— B. St. John Ackers 4,185 Flower of Holland, red, little white, calved Aug. 8, 1871; got by Breastplate (19337)— Mr. Wardle 4,065 Riby Lassie, red, calved May 7, 1869; got by Blinkhoolie (23428) out of Riby Countess-T. C. Booth 3,795 Riby Peeress, roan, calved Sept. 18, 1865; got by Breast- plate (19337) out of Riby Queen— T. C. Booth 3,587 Bright Swede, roan, calved July 23, 1874; got by Lord Cain (31630) out of Bright Saxon— Mr. Wilson 3,587 Flower of Belgium, roan, calved June 17, 1872 ; got by Royal Prince (27394)— Mr. Phillips 3,587 Foreign Beauty, roan, calved Feb. 26, 1875 ; got by Knight of the Shire (26552) —Hugh Aylmer 3,108 War luck, red, calved Feb. 25, 1871; got by Lord Napier (26688) out of a Waterloo dam— Mr. McCulloch, Aus- tralia 3,108 Flower of the Rhine, roan, calved June 12, 1874; got by Knight of the Shire (26552)— Sir William S. Maxwell. . . 3,049 A GOLDEN AGE. 505 Mountain Vale, red-and-white, calved Feb. 14, 1869 ; got by Blinkhoolie (23428)— Mr. Wilson $3,079 BULLS. Riby Knight, roan, calved April 14, 1874 ; got by Knight of the Shire (26552) out of Riby Lassie by Blinkhoolie (23428)— J. Marshall of New Zealand 4,185 Fandango, roan, calved July 6, 1872 ; got by Royal Prince (27384) out of Flower of Germany by Breastplate (19337) —Sir William S. Maxwell 4,185 Balmoral, roan, calved Feb. 17, 1875; got by Knight of the Shire (26552) out of Bright Queen by Fitz-Clarence (14552)— Rev. J. N. Micklethwaite 4,185 Lord Lamech, roan, calved Nov. 21, 1874; got by Knight of the Shire (26552) out of Lady Adah by Killerby Monk (20053)— J. H. Pickrell, Harristown, 111., U. S. A 3,348 72 females sold for $215,585.30; an average of $2,994.25 13 bulls sold for 27,558.27 : an average of 2,119 87 85 animals sold for 243,144.57 ; an average of 2,860.52 Additional importations, — Mr. J. H. Pick- rell, who was among the Americans present at the English sales of 1875, made two shipments for account of himself and Mr. J. H. Kissinger of Missouri. The first, which came out from London in August along with some Clydesdale horses, long-wooled and Southdown sheep and Berkshire pigs, included some first-class heifers from the noted herd of Messrs. Hosken of Corn- wall, a pair of roan Booth heifers from Hugh Aylmer of West Dereham Abbey, Norfolk, and two Bates-bred yearlings from J. W. Larking, one a bull and the' other a heifer, and both sired by Grand Duke of Geneva (28756). The second shipment was made from Glasgow in September and included Mr. Pickrell's pur- 506 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. chases at the Torr sale, the $3,350 roan bull Lord Lamech, the red-and-white bull calf Flower Lad, the red "G" cow Germania, the roan Waterloo heifer Waterloo Shield, by Knight of the Shire (26552), and the red bull calf 2d Marquis of Worcester of the Bates Wild Eyes tribe from Dunmore at $900. Messrs. Cochrane, Beattie and Hope of Can- ada imported in October, 1875, twenty-five head, mainly of Bates breeding; and on the same steamer four females were shipped to S. R. Streator of Cleveland, 0., and six for Albert Crane, a Chicago capitalist owning the Durham Park Ranch in Kansas. Tn November eleven head were imported by Mr. Robert Ashburner of California. Coming events were already beginning to cast portentous shadows before. Even while speculation in stock of the Bates and Booth tribes was at its very heighth shrewd and prac- tical men were turning their attention to the herds of Scotland, hitherto little known in America, In 1874 Mr. Robert Milne, a former neighbor .and friend of Amos Cruickshank of Aberdeenshire, had imported a half-dozen fe- males and the bull Viscount 18507 from the Cruickshank herd. Favorably impressed by these Messrs. Lowman & Smith of Toulon, 111., imported during the summer of 1875 seven fe- males from North Britain, including two A GOLDEN AGE. 507 Cruickshank Butterflys and a Missie from the herd of Mr. Marr of Uppermill; but of these more anon. Another Renick exportation. — Prominent English dealers in cattle of the Bates blood continued to set a high valuation upon Mr. Renick's Rose of Sharons, and in August, 1875, an additional shipment selected by Simon Beat- tie, consisting of seven cows and heifers, was made on an order from Earls Dunmore and Bective at a reported price of $25,000. The Dunmore purchase consisted of the roan cow Poppy 5th, by 13th Duke of Airdrie; Norah 7th, by 4th Duke of Geneva, and Duchess 17th, by same sire, which were in England christened respectively Red Rose of Luskentyre, Red Rose of Dalmally and Red Rose of Killigray. Lord Bective took for his herd at Underley Hall Rosebud 10th, Duchess 16th and Lenora 2d, all by 4th Duke of Geneva, and Poppy llth, by Airdrie 3d. These were also given titles on the other side, in the order mentioned, to corre- spond with the English Red Rose nomencla- ture as follows: Red Rose of Tweeddale, Red Rose of Annandale, Red Rose of Nithsdale and Red Rose of Eskdale. North Elkhorn (Ky.) importation. — On Oct. 16, 1875, a sale of seventy-nine head was made by the North Elkhorn Co. in Kentucky, which resulted in an average of $652 per head. This 508 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOEN CATTLE. company had made an importation of more than forty head from England in May, 1875; the cattle being selected by Messrs. Richardson & Boswell acting as agents for the company. Some of the animals of this importation after- ward acquired high rank as producers of first- class stock. Bates blood predominated in the shipment, but there was also included the good cows Lady Seraphina 6th and Seraphina Caris- sima 3d of Lord Sudeley's breeding. There was also a sprinkling of Knightley and Booth blood. The imported cattle were sold along with a lot of home-bred stock on date above mentioned, top prices ranging as follows: Seraphina 3d— W. H. Richardson, Kentucky $2,800 Pretty Miss Prim— George M. Bedford, Kentucky 2,400 Georgia Hillhurst— C. M. Clay, Kentucky 2,050 Acacia— E. G. Bedford, Kentucky 1,900 Georgia Clarence— E. L. Davison, Kentucky 1,900 Lady Seraphina 6th— John R. Craig, Canada 1,600 Surmise Duchess 9th— T. J. Megibben, Kentucky 1,575 Lady Seaham of Roseneath— W. & W. Pickrell, Illinois 1,500 Brunette 8d— J. W. Burgess, Kentucky 1,275 fcjna— J. G. Kinnaird, Kentucky 1,225 Cateress— H. C. Hutchcraf t, Kentucky '. . , 1,225 Duke of Wotton 2d— E. L. Davison, Kentucky 1,225 Bohemian Knightley— E. G. Bedford, Kentucky 1,050 Alpha— H. P. Thomson 1,050 Water Girl— W. L. Grimes, Kentucky 1,000 Azalea 2d— W. N, Offutt, Kentucky 1,000 Closing events of 1875.— In December, 1875, the national convention was held at Toronto under the Presidency of Mr. Pickrell. After adjournment a combination sale from the herds A GOLDEN AGE. 509 of J. E. Craig, Col. J. B. Taylor and Sumner & Hilton was held, at which Mr. Cochrane paid $4,000 for Kirklevington Duchess 18th. Ayres & McClintock of Kentucky bought the 17th Duke of Airdrie at $4,500, and Mr. Ayres took Grace Sharon at $2,900. Simon Beattie bid off Duchess of Raby at $3,050, and S. R. Streator took Grace 4th at $3,300. Princesses again commanded good prices, quite a number sell- ing at from $1,000 to $2,200. Mr. Cochrane gave $2,400 for Careless 8th, and Groom & Son $3,700 for Oneida Rose. A pair of Constances fetched $3,100, and the bull imp. Baron Hub- back 2d went to M. W. Terrill at $2,500. During the year 1875 115 public sales of Short-horns were held in America, at which 4,347 head were sold for a total of $1,832,383, an average of $422. During the same time there were sold in Great Britain fifty-five lots, aggregating 2,355 head, at an average of $515. One of the characteristic outgrowths of this re- markable period of activity in the trade was the appearance of Bailey's Short-horn Reporter, issued from the office of Mr. Allen, proprietor of the American Herd Book. It was a quar- terly, modeled on the general lines of John Thornton's invaluable English Short-horn Cir- cular. CHAPTER XVII. THE TURN OF THE TIDE. On the surface there was still great appar- ent enthusiasm on the basis of the extraordi- nary range of values already established, but the trade of 1876 developed indications that the market was becoming "top heavy." As is usual in the case of all such extensive speculations there had been a great expansion of credits. Notes given for cattle bought at high prices were beginning to mature. Such paper now became the subject of closer scru- tiny at the hands of prudent bankers, and this fact marked the beginning of the end of the most astounding trade in pedigreed cattle to be found in agricultural history. The decline at first was neither sudden nor severe, and for several seasons great prices were occasionally obtained. In fact average values held up well under heavy offerings, but nevertheless the waters of speculation were now palpably re- ceding. Space admonishes that we must deal more briefly with the details of the transac- tions attending the subsidence of the "boom," and we shall therefore in this chapter only THE WOODBUHN-BRED IOTH DUCHESS OF AIRDRIE. Wliose descendants sold for sums aggregating nearly $300,000. IMP. MAID OF HONOR. Bred by T. Game; imported 1873 by the late Simon Beattie. THE TURN OF THE TIDE. 511 sketch the most noteworthy events during the great "down turn" in values marked by the period extending from 1876 to 1880. Hon. George Brown and Bow Park. — In the spring of 1876 the Hon. George Brown of Can- ada, one of the most remarkable characters ever identified with the Short-horn trade in America, proceeded to Scotland (the land of his birth) and through the assistance of his brothers-in-law Messrs. William and Thomas Nelson, of the great firm of Thomas Nelson & Sons, organized a limited company under the name of the Canada West Farm Stock Associa- tion. While this enterprise was launched at a most unfortunate time for the stockholders, and was therefore foredoomed to ultimate financial failure, its operations were so exten- sive and were carried forward with such enter- prise that a deep impression was made upon the fortunes of the breed on this side of the Atlantic. Mr. Brown had come to Toronto from Edin- burg as a young man and had worked himself up through the field of journalism and politics into the very highest circles of power in the Dominion. He had for many years been pro- prietor of the Toronto Globe, a paper known all over Canada as "the Scotchman's bible." Personally he was a man of marked force of character, and his vigorous intellect, combined 512 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. with a commanding physique, rendered him one of the most conspicuous figures of his day. Inflexible, as a rule, in his dealings with others, and. a dictator in his editorial office, he failed to control the political elements with which he came in contact, but animated by an ambi- tion to promote the material interests of his adopted country, and having a natural taste for agricultural pursuits he took up first at Bothwell, a small town west of London, Ont., and latterly at Bow Park, Brantford, Ont., the business of farming. Naturally a man of broad ideas he developed at Bow Park the breeding of Short-horn cattle upon a most extensive basis. In June, 1874, an invoice showed that he had then upon the farm 330 Short-horns, of which 274 were females and fifty-six bulls. At that time his plan was to rear the cattle on what is known as the " soiling" system. The Short-horns were never turned out to graze, but had green food during the summer months and dry fodder, along with beets and turnips, during the winter.* In addition to being ex- ceedingly expensive this system was, of course, * While in attendance at some of the Kentucky sales Mr. Brown com- mented in the most complimentary terms upon the excellence of the Ben • ick Hose of Sharons, his expression ordinarily being: " A grand lot of cat- tle; but they wight to bel " A Kentuckian finally asked the Canadian visi- tor what he meant by the latter part of his remark. He replied in Yankee fashion by asking the question: " How many acres in Mr. Renick's farm?" He was informed: "Mr. Renick's estate consists, sir, of about 2,500 acres of the best blue-grass land in Central Kentucky, sir." To which Mr. Brown rejoined: " I believe that great body of land carries only a herd of 100 cattle. We have had at Bow Park 350 head upon 900 acres." THE TURN OF THE TIDE. 513 unnatural. The herd at that time consisted mainly of cattle of mixed breeding, good indi- vidually, as a rule, but in the belief that some- thing still better existed the enterprising proprietor decided upon a change of base. The Nelson alliance was perfected and the original herd disposed of at low prices, but for many years following its practical value was reflected throughout the whole of Canada in the steers produced upon the Dominion farms. The Canada West Farm Stock Association, with a capitalization of $400,000, made its ini- tial importation by the Polynesian from Liver- pool in June, 1876, which was followed in July by two other shipments, aggregating in all some seventy-five head of high-priced Bates- bred cattle. It was the plan of the company to import only animals of the finest individual quality belonging to the most popular strains of blood, and something like $200,000 was rep- resented by its investments in cattle, horses, sheep and pigs. 4th Duke of Clarence. — In the shipment that came out from Liverpool in July, 1876, by the good ship Circassian was a long, lank, undeveloped roan yearling bull, bred by Col. Gunter of Wetherby Grange and sired by 18th Duke of Oxford (25595) out of Duchess 109th by 2d Duke of Claro (21576). Mr. Brown was so little enamored of this youngster upon his 514 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. arrival that his first idea was to return him to England and have him. resold. Fortunately fot himself and the Bow Park Short-horns better counsel prevailed. It was pointed out that the calf had been badly kept on a farm on the Yorkshire "wolds" and had proved a poor sailor on the Atlantic. He was accordingly re- tained at Bow Park and lived to develop into the crowning glory of that great Short-horn breeding establishment ; known to Short-horn fame for all time to come under the title of 4th Duke of Clarence. He developed all of the best points of Mr. Bates' old type, with few of the defects shown by many of his carelessly-bred relations. Maturing into a massive, mellow- fleshed bull of beautiful quality, grand breed character and commanding presence the 4th Duke was the pride of his day and generation among the adherents of Bates Short-horns in the new world. Mated with the many good cows and heifers imported and bought for the Bow Park Herd, and under the skillful manage- ment of the late John Hope — who took charge of the herd in 1878 — he sired many valuable cattle that gained high honors in the show- yards of Canada and the United States, con- spicuous among which may be mentioned the celebrated white bullock Clarence Kirkleving- ton, champion of the American Fat-Stock Show of 1884. The 4th Duke proved not only a great THE TURN OF THE TIDE. 515 stock-getter but was also shown with success at Cleveland (Ohio), Toronto and London in 1878 and 1879. He remained at the head of the Bow Park Herd until his death, which oc- curred in 1887. Opening sales of 1876.— The sales this year opened in Iowa, where a large number of cat- tle were offered at West Liberty and Des Moines. No sensational prices were made except at S. W. Jacobs' sale, where 2d Peri of Lyndale was bid off at $7,050 by D. S. Bussing of New York. D. M. Flynn took Roan Princess at $3,900. Bus- sing bought Lucy Napier at $2,475, and Minnie Annandale 2d for $2,500. For London's Minnie D. Wilson of West Liberty gave $2,550. For Nelly Bly 7th Rigdon Huston of Illinois paid $1,975. The bull Oxford of Springwood fetched $2,000 from John R. Owens of Illinois. Jacobs' 146 head brought $86,895, an average of $595. C. S. Barclay sold eighty-eight head for $27,275, and Campbell & Chase ninety-seven head for $27,446. In Illinois Davis Lowman of Toulon held a sale which was topped by the Cruickshank cow Red Lady 3d, bought by W. & W. Pickrell for $1,200. A. J. Dunlap paid $1,010 for the Scotch- bred imp. Lovely 18th, and at the same sale Winfield Scott, Wyoming, 111., bought Miss Wiley of Green Lawn for $1,100, and J. H. Spears paid $1,005 for the bull Sam Wiley 516 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. 12880. At A. J. Dunlap's sale Mr. Spears paid $1,300 for Fanny Hunt 5th, and George Otley of Neponset, 111., $1,060 for Sonsie Lass 2d. Potts buys imp. Duke of Richmond. — At Springfield, 111., on May 3 J. H. Kissinger sold twenty-two cattle for $25,335, an average of $1,152. D. A. Rouner of Newark, Mo., bid off the bull 2d Marquis of Worcester at $3,000 and the cow Knightley Belle at $2,275. J. H. Potts & Son bought the Scotch-bred imp. Duke of Richmond for $2,250, the cow Mattie Richard- son at $1,805, and 2d Louan of Linwood at $1,850. W. & W. Pickrell took Caroline Coch- rane at $2,100. A. E. Kimberley of West Lib- erty paid $2,700 for Loudon Duchess of Bedford. Mr. J. H. Pickrell owned a half interest in the cow last named, and at the same time and place sold ten head of cattle at an average of $862, including Countess of Cornwall at $2,050 to Col. Robert Holloway and Countess of Ox- ford 4th at $1,500 to James N. Brown's Sons0 On the following day Messrs. Spears, lies, et al.3 sold at Springfield ; Harvey Sodowsky paying $1,600 for Airdrie Bloom, and Winslow Bros, of Kankakee $1,025 for Prairie Blossom. Col. Holloway's big average. — On May 25 Col. Robert Holloway sold sixty-three cattle at Dexter Park, Chicago, for an average of $1,087. The top price was $4,250, given by A. J. Streeter of New Windsor, 111., for Rose of THE TURN OF THE TIDE. 517 Sharon of Durham Lawn. The next was $3,925, paid by F. J. Barbee of Kentucky for London Duchess 15th. For the bull imp. Oxford Beau 2d the West Liberty breeders gave $3,800. For 1st Rose of Sharon of Durham Lawn John Hope, then in business at Markham, Ont., gave $3,200. For the Princess cow 4th Tuberose of Brattleboro George Otley paid $3,025. For Roan Duchess 7th of Bow Park Streeter gave $3,250. For llth Belle Duchess of Plumwood William Thomson's Sons of Kentucky paid $3,050. Streeter also gave $2,750 for imp. Wa- terloo J., $1,700 for Roan Duchess 7th of Au- vergne, $1,250 for Lady Goodness and $1,425 for the bull Grand Airdrie 19894. Mr. Pogue of Kentucky gave $2,500 for Geneva Duchess of Goodness. On the following day W. B. Dodge sold at Chicago; the highest price obtained being 11,800 for the Princess cow 7th Lady Sale of Brattleboro, bought by Bailey & Goodspeed of Wisconsin. The same parties purchased 9th Lady Sale of Brattleboro at $1,500. S. W. Jacobs of West Liberty took tliQ famous Game-bred Murray cow imp. Maid of Honor at $1,525 and imp. Nectar at $1,000. At a sale from the herd of Nelson Jones next day Pliny Nichols of West Liberty gave $1,050 for 2d Red Rose of Woodside, and P. A. Coen, Washburn, 111., paid $1,000 for Baron Bates 4th. 518 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. At the Meredith sale at Cambridge City, Ind., in June fifty-two head brought $20,555, the most notable transaction of the day being the purchase of 4th Mazurka of Chesterfield by Walter Handy of Kentucky at $2,525. At Ste- phen Dunlap's sale in Illinois Gen. C. E. Lip- pincott gave $1,800 for imp. Jubilee Gwynne. Albert Crane pays $23,600 for an Airdrie Duchess. — At Cochrane, Beattie and Hope's sale in Canada Albert Crane of Chicago, whose purchases of cattle for his 17,000-acre ranch at Durham Park, Kan., have already been men- tioned, came into the market for Duchesses, and took Airdrie Duchesses 2d and 3d at $21,- 000 and $23,600 respectively. J. P. Foster of England bought Wild Eyes Lassie at $4,500. Col. Le GL B. Cannon, a wealthy Vermonter, took Kirklevington Duchess 18th at $4,000. Messrs. W. & W. Pickrell of Illinois bought the bull Baron Siddington at $2,200. The fifty- four head averaged $1,709. About this same date Avery & Murphy of Port Huron, Mich., purchased Airdrie Duchess 5th as a calf from Mr. Cochrane for $18,000. At a sale by John Snell's Sons, held in Canada at same time, W. Williams of Massachusetts gave $1,520 for Lady Seraphina 6th, and N. G. Pond of Milford, Conn., $1,800. Hon. George Brown of Bow Park sold at Toronto in this same series, re- ceiving $1,500 from John R. Craig for 3d Duch- THE TURN OF THE TIDE. 519 ess of Springwood, and $1,000 from S. W. Jacobs of Iowa for Mazurka 10th. Messrs. A. H. & I. B. Day sold at Keokuk, la., on June 15, West Liberty breeders proving the best buyers. Messrs. Jacobs & Wilson bought the three Scotch-bred females imp. Golden Drop 1st, Golden Drop A. and Golden Drop B. at $1,000, $1,475 and $1,275 respectively. D. Wilson & Son also bought Louan of Van Buren at $1,200. $17,900 for 14th Duke of Thorndale.— At the Kentucky summer sales of 1876 the highest price ever made in America for a bull* of any breed was obtained for the 14th Duke of Thorndale (28459). He was sold by George M. Bedford and knocked off at $17,900 to Mr. W. C. Vanmeter of Winchester, Ky., bidding for Levi Goff of Paris, a son-in-law of Mr. Bedford's. At this same sale A. L. Niccolls of Ottawa, Kan., bought $18,000 worth of stock — twelve head — including Lady Bates 6th at $6,000, the bull Imperial Bates at $3,300, and the 20th Duchess of Goodness at $2,100. The security tendered on his notes, however, was not satis- factory and the cattle remained at Mr. Bed- ford's. Mr. Embry of Richmond, Ky., took Airdrie Belle at $2,750, Airdrie Belle 3d at $4,050, and Oneida Belle at $2,000. At a sale made by B. J. Clay, Hall & Taylor and B. F. Bedford eighty-one cattle sold for an average of $400. Brown and Gregg of Canada paid 520 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. $1,425 for Roan Duchess 12th, and H. C. Smith of Kentucky $2,750 for Cambridge Rose 5th. A pair of Valley Princesses brought $2,300 from Corbin & Patterson. At Leslie Combs' sale Hon. George Brown and Maj. Gregg paid $1,400 for Moss Rose 2d. At Walter Handy's Ware & McGoodwin of Kentucky bought 4th Mazurka of Chesterfield for $1,740. On Aug. 17 at Chil- licothe, 0., George Grimes and others sold fifty- three cattle for $17,680. At this sale John Montgomery of Granville, 0., paid $1,000 each for Oxford Gwynnes 2d and 6th and Rose of Cashmere. J. S. Kirk of Washington C.-H. gave the same for Elsie. Closing events of 1876. — In the autumn of this year Ware & McGoodwin of Kentucky sold the 3d Duke of Oneida at public sale for $6,800 to Ayres, Barton & Hutchcraft of same State. At a sale by H. P. Thomson in Kentucky forty- one head averaged $977. Quite a lot of Prin- cesses were included and a determined effort was made to secure long prices for them. Winslow Bros, of Illinois took 4th Princess of the Valley at $2,200; Col. J. B. Taylor of Canada Princess of the Valley at $2,450; Hon. M. H. Cochrane 2d Princess of the Valley at $2,500, and CoL Simms of Kentucky Highland Maid 6th at $1,650. For the Bates-bred 2d Duchess of Kirklevington F. J. Barbee gave $2,000 and Belle Duchess was bid off by Joseph Julian of THE TURN OF THE TIDE. 521 Bainbridge, N. Y., at $4,000. At Bush & Hamp- ton's sale Abner Strawn of Illinois gave $2,050 for Geneva Rose. At J. V. Grigsby's no less than thirteen head sold in the four figures; the Hamiltons of Mount' Sterling, Ky., took Sharon Rose at $3,400; Col. Simms bought Geneva Rose at $2,325, and W. C. Vanmeter several high-priced lots. The $1,000 mark was also passed several times at the sales of Robinson, Bean and the Hamiltons. In connection .with Ay res & McClintock's sale August Whitman sold two Princesses (Tuberoses) to T. L. Mc- Keen of Easton, Pa., for $2,750. During 1876 there were sold at auction sale in America 4,014 animals for $1,366,805, an av- erage of $341.28. Of these 1,151 head were sold in Illinois for $395,005, 1,011 head in Kentucky for $373,830, 751 head in Iowa for $232,475. The general average was $41 below that for 1875. In Great Britain 2,802 head were sold at auction for $728,270, an average of $260 each. B. B. Groom & Son shipped six more Renick Rose of Sharons this year to England, and also sold the 6th Duke of Kirklevington (30182) to J. R. Shelley of Freeport, 111., for $5,000. An- other event of general interest this season was the removal of Messrs. A. M. Winslow's Sons (Henry and Peleg), with their herd of Prin- cesses, from Putney, Vt., to Kankakee, 111. 522 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Pickrell & Kissinger. — In the early spring of 1877 Messrs. J. H, Pickrell and J. H. Kissin- ger pooled their valuable Short-horn holdings, one half, headed by imp. Flower Lad 23170 (Torr-Booth) and Baron Siddington (Bates), being maintained at Clarksville, Mo., and the other portion, with the imp. Lord Lamech (34578), at Harristown, 111. We have already detailed at some length Mr. Pickrell's promi- nent identification with Western Short-horn interests, and have made some allusion to Mr. Kissinger's successful operations. Some fur- ther facts in reference to the latter's connec- tion with the trade will be of interest. Mr. Kissinger was born in Pike Co., Mo., in 1840 from Kentucky parentage. Reared on a farm and possessed of great natural love for agricultural pursuits, he developed a deep in- terest in Short-horns and in 1867 made his first appearance in Western show-yards. At the Illinois State Fair of that year he exhibited a grade Short-horn steer four years old weighing 2,400 Ibs., to which a first prize was awarded. The bullock was afterward sold to J. H. Spears for $300. It was here that Mr. Kissinger made his first purchases, buying the cows Dove 3d (A. H. B., Vol. VIII, p. 316) and Beauty (Vol. VIII, p. 257); the latter proving a grand show animal, beaten at St. Louis in 1871 only by Col. King's renowned imp. Rosedale. Kissingers THE TURN OF THE TIDE. 523 next purchase was at J. H. Spears' sale in 1868 where he bought the cow Iva Jones (Vol. XV, p. 608) and her bull calf Duke of Airdrie 9800, which stood at the head of his herd for four years and proved a successful show bull as well as a sire of prize-winners. The next addition to his herd consisted of four females from Mr. PickrelPs, bought in 1869. Among these was Caroline Airdrie (Vol. IX, p. 519), which was sold in 1871 to Thomas S. Page of California for $1,800. From 1870 to 1872 he made numer- ous purchases of females in Kentucky, and in June, 1873, made his first sale at Linwood Farm, his residence in Pike Co., Mo., when fifty head brought an average of $400. In 1874 he purchased largely from the best Kentucky herds, securing Kissinger's Breastplate 17476 at six months old at $1,250. His next purchase was the yearling Cruickshank heifer imp. Or- ange Blossom 18th for $2,500, which he kept for one year and sold to Mrs. Kimberly of West Liberty for $3,500 He also bought the after- ward celebrated Scotch-bred bull imp. Duke of Richmond, subsequently so famous in the herd of Messrs. Potts. Mr. Kissinger was one of the first to recognize the great merit of the Aber- deenshire Short-horns on this side of the water. Indeed imp. Duke of Richmond laid the foun- dation for their later popularity in this coun- try. In 1875 he bought a car-load of Cruick- 524 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. shank-bred cattle from James I. Davidson of Canada. At the great Western fairs that year his herd, headed by imp. Duke of Richmond, and including the cows Mattie Richardson, Caroline Cochrane, Caroline Pickrell, 2d Louan of Linwood, and Pretty Jemima 2d, won first prize at Jacksonville, 111.; Hannibal, Mo.; the Illinois and Iowa State Fairs, at St. Louis and Louisiana, Mo. The cattle were then sold at auction, as already detailed. The famous show herd of J. H. Potts & Son was largely founded from this stock. Messrs. Pickrell & Kissinger were for years ruling spirits at our Western shows. During a period of twelve years, running from 1867 to 1879, cattle shown in their names won, in com- petition with the best herds of the United States and Canada, prizes aggregating $40,000. Their aim was'ever individual merit in the an- imal and the promotion of the best interests of the breed. Lavish in their expenditures for high-class Short-horns, enterprising and per- sistent in their efforts at demonstrating the excellence of the breed in the great show- yards of the West, it is but simple justice to record that no men ever connected with the American Short-horn trade have done more to set up correct standards and further the sub- stantial interests of Short-horns on this side of the Atlantic. THE TURN OF THE TIDE. 525 Spring sales of 1877. — The opening sales of 1877 were disappointing, but at John Bond's at Abingdon, 111., the Scotch-bred imp. Missie 39th, of Marr's breeding; brought $1,040 from J. McClellari of Astoria, 111., and imp. Butterfly 45th, from Sittyton, fetched $1,000 from George Chase of West Liberty, la. At S. W. Jacobs' sale at West Liberty A. Shropshire of Monroe, la., gave $1,600 for the Cruickshank heifer Vil- lage Girl and $1,550 for Lucy Napier. C. Mc- Cune of Solon, la., paid $1,460 for the Bates cow imp. Acomb Belle, $1,200 for the Scotch- bred imp. Golden Drop 2d, 11,000 for Golden Drop A., and $1,120 for imp. Maid of Honor, taking also the Bates bull imp. Underley Wild Eyes at $700. A cross of this bull upon the Golden Drops produced the branch of this fine Kinellar family that afterward became so celebrated in the herd of Col. W. A. Harris at Lin wood, Kan. At a sale by Abner Strawn at Dexter Park, Chicago, May 8 Trimble & Henshaw of Plattsburg, Mo., gave $2,425 for Geneva Rose, and William E. Simms of Ken- tucky $1,500 for Grace 3d. During the same series C. A. De Graff of Minnesota paid $3,000 for Peri's Duchess, and William Slater of Mass- achusetts $1,500 for 7th Lady Sale of Brattle- boro — both sold by Bailey & Goodspeed of Wis- consin. At Lippincott & Spears' sale at the same place Gen. Lippincott bid off the 22d 5'26 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Duchess of Airdrie for $15,000, and the 21st Duke of Airdrie was knocked down to William Babcock of Canton, 111., at $8,000. On June' 6 the 22d Duke of Airdrie was sold by Richard Gibson at London, Ont., to Col. Le G. B. Cannon of Vermont for $4,900; Rosy Princess 2d to Winslow & Wadsworth for $1,250; Rosy Prin- cess 5th to A. L. Stebbins of Detroit for $1,225; Ursuline 3d at $1,500 and Constance of Lyndale 6th at $1,000 to Col. Cannon; thirty-nine head averaging $591. On the same day John Hope sold Kirklevington Duchess 8th to U. J. Harris of Webster, Mass., for $2,300, and Duchess of Clarence 12th at $1,500 and Docile at $1,225 to Hon. George Brown of Bow Park. At the same sale T. L. Harison of New York sold the Prin- cess Lady Gertrude to Winslow & Wadsworth for $4,000. Shortly after this sale Mr. Hope took charge of the herd at Bow Park. During the summer Messrs. Winslow sold six young Princess bulls at an average price of $1,000 each, the 19th Duke of Airdrie being in service in their herd at the time. At S. Meredith & Sons' summer sale the Messrs. Hamilton of Mount Sterling, Ky., bought the 20th Duke of Airdrie for $6,975. In their Flat Creek Herd this bull afterward left a very valuable set of heifers; many of which were introduced into prominent Western herds. He seemed to " nick " particularly well with the THE TURN OF THE TIDE. 527 Young Marys, Rose of Sharons, and Josephines of which the Hamilton herd was so largely composed. At A. E. Kimberley's sale at West Liberty, la., S. W. Jacobs bought Breastplate 11431 at $5,000. J. H. Bowman of Waverly, la., gave $1,010 for the bull Jubilee's Breastplate, $2,025 for Jubilee Napier, and $1,750 for Jubilee Na- pier 2d. At Wilson & Sons' sale at West Lib- erty Mr. McCune, Solon, la., added to his herd imp. Golden Drop 2d at $1,160. At S. C. Dun- can's sale in Missouri B. F. Winn gave $1,200 for Duke of Tuberose 26408. At C. L. Vanme- ter's summer sale in Kentucky Messrs. Hamil- ton were free buyers, taking Ophelia's Geneva at $1,350 and 7th Belle of Bath at $1,000. At Mr. Barbee's sale in Kentucky the Hamiltons gave $1,570 for Loudon Duchess 15th and John Hope bought two Kirklevingtons at $1,225 each. Cochrane at Windermere, — On Sept. 4, 1877, at Bowness, Cumberland, amid the beauteous surroundings of the Lake district of North- western England, so famed in poetry and song, the Hon. M. H. Cochrane of Hillhurst, Can., offered at public sale thirty-two head exported for this purpose from Canada, along with eleven head belonging to Simon Beattie. Mr. Cochrane had been from the beginning one of the clearest-sighted men identified with the 528 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Short-horn trade. He was one of the first to profit by the rising tide of Short-horn values in America after the close of the Civil War; en- gaged boldly and profitably in the early Duch- ess speculations, made numerous sales at high prices to leading buyers on both sides the At- lantic, and when he observed that America was not taking kindly to the high-priced Booths, began turning them back upon the English market. In the fall of 1875 he sold to Mr. A. H. Browne of Northumberland five Booth heif- ers at a reported price of $17,500. During that same year he exported Royal Commander (29857) and sold him at the Aylesby sale for 1,150 guineas to Hugh Aylmer. In August, 1876, he shipped two heifers and three year- ling bulls, also of Booth blood, to Scotland, and in 1877, as above mentioned, he appeared at Windermere with a group of cattle deep in the most fashionable Warlaby blood.* Believing also that the English market at this time afforded a better prospect for high prices for Bates cattle than America he included in this shipment the red Duchess heifers 3d and 5th * Mr. Cochrane attributed the failure of the Booths to score a specula tive success in America during this period largely to the fact that Ameri- can buyers at that time insisted, as a rule, upon fine style and finish. The Booths, more especially the bulls, were somewhat inclined to roughness about their heads, having been bred more for flesh and constitution than for refinement. Again they ran strongly toward light colors. Another reason was found in the fact that quite a number of the high-priced im- ported Booth cows and heifers had failed to breed. THE TURN OF THE TIDE. 529 Duchesses of Hillhurst and the 2d Duke of Hill- hurst. The event demonstrated that Mr. Cochrane's judgment was, as usual, not at fault.* The yearling 5th Duchess of Hillhurst was taken by Earl Bective at 4,300 guineas, the highest price ever paid for a cow in Great Britain; the yearling 3d Duchess went to R. Loder at 4,100 guineas, and the six-year-old 2d Duke of Hill- hurst to A. H. Longman at 800 guineas. The Bates-bred heifers Marchioness of Barrington * This sale was one of the few events in Short-horn history to which a genuine international interest attached. While no American bidders were present the occasion stirred the British Short-horn breeding fraternity to its very depths. Senator Cochrane had shrewdly baited his hook to attract the heavy-weigrhts of both the Bates and Booth factions. The excitement was intense, as record prices were made on the Duchess heifers, and after the sale a rather clever parody entitled "The Farmada, by Thomas Bab- blington Mock-a-lay," appeared in the London Liver-Stock Journal, from which we make the following excerpts: "High on his break sits Bective; meek near the ring stands Torr. While Staniforth with Loder hold with Allsopp friendly war; There is Crosbie from wild Kerry and Foster from Killhow, There is Salt from busy Bradford and Longman from 'The Bow;' The rival strains commingle and forget their deadly hates, As now the cry's for Booth blood and now again for Bates. But hark! the war commences, fair shines the sun upon The friendly legions marshalled by the wand of 'Honest John.' At first the bids are modest, and the small men have their way, But fiercer grows the struggle when the giant 'plungers' say. A Duchess proudly walks the ring and 'thousands' fly like hail, But Whittlebury scores the prize, the second of the sale; The vales of Troutbeck ring1 with cheers and echo back the sounds As Hillhurst's Third is landed for o'er four thousand pounds. Waves now the field for Warlaby as Vesper Star comes in, And silent though the Bates men are the Booths maintain the dlo, A Crosbie wins the maiden for a thousand guineas down, Nor rues the lucky bid that claimed her for his own. More Stars shine forth in beauty and make but little stay. For sturdy Booth is 'wanted' and quickly wins its way." 31 530 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. and Lady Surmise, that had also been exported^ fetched respectively 800 guineas and 400 guin- eas from Sir W. H. Salt. The Booth cow Vesper Star went to Mr. W. Talbot Crosbie of Ardfert Abbey at 1,000 guineas. The eleven- year-old Vernal Star made 450 guineas to Mr. Darby The nine-year-old cow White Rose, by Mountain Chief, was taken by Rev. T. Stani- forth at 300 guineas. Mr. John Torr, M. P., bought Bright Lady, a nine-year-old roan, at 330 guineas. British Queen, eight years old, became the property of Rev. T. Staniforth at 230 guineas, and Welcome Lady and Queen of Beauty were bought by Mr. J. B. Booth at 226 guineas and 120 guineas respectively. Mr. Beattie did not have as good luck with his lot, although the 41st Duchess of Goodness (of Kentucky breeding) fetched 205 guineas from Earl Bective. His Princesses and other American-bred cattle sold at low figures. Sale summary for 1877. — During this year 3,237 Short-horns were sold in America for $742,871, an average of $230, a falling off of $111 per head from the average of 1876. In Great Britain 2,455 head were sold at an aver- age of about $274, an increase over the average of 1876 of about $12. During the year Col. Gunter had received $10,000 for the Duchess bull 5th Duke of Clarence, a brother to the Bow Park 4th Duke of Clarence. On Sept. 18 THE TURN OF THE TIDE. 531 E. H. Cheney had sold at Gaddesby the 13tli Duchess of Airdrie to R. Loder for $11,000; 13th Lady of Oxford to H. Allsopp for $9,500; 10th Maid of Oxford to Earl Bective for $8,025; llth Maid of Oxford to H. Lovatt for $7,000, and the 7th Duke of Gloster (397-35) to the Duke of Devonshire for $9,250. On the follow- ing day Capt. R. E. Oliver sold Grand Duch- esses at Sholebroke Lodge, receiving $13,750 from Earl Bective for Grand Duchess 23d; $12,- 250 from the wealthy brewer H. Allsopp for Grand Duchess 29th; $9,000 from Lord Skel- mersdale for Cherry Grand Duchess 4th; $7,550 from Earl Bective for Grand Duke 31st (38374); $5,000 from Sir G. R. Phillips for Grand Duke 29th (38372), and $4,500 from Mr. Allsopp for Cherry Grand Duchess 8th. On July 5 George Fox made a sale at Elmhurst Hall, at which Allsopp gave $5,500 for 2d Cambridge Lady and $3,500 for Geneva's Kirklevington Duchess. At William Ashburner's sale at Conishead Grange Mr. Allsopp gave $3,900 for Bright Eyes 6th, $3,050 for Mild Eyes 4th, and $3,050 foi Conis- head Wild Eyes, by 24th Duke of Airdrie. Mr. Albert Crane sold during this season a pair of Airdrie Duchess heifers to Mr. Holford of Eng- land for $28,000. Notwithstanding these fancy figures abroad the year's business closed in America in bad condition. Two of the leading speculators of 532 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. the United States, Messrs. B. B. Groom of Ken- tucky and S. W. Jacobs of Iowa, had been forced into liquidation, with heavy liabilities, and these failures only proved the prelude of many others to follow.* The fall sales in America we-re everywhere disappointing. No Short-horns were imported during 1877, but some sales were made for export to the Japanese Government. A falling market. — There were some private sales during 1878 at high prices, but the gen- eral result of the year's business was disastrous to the speculative element. Numerous failures in the American trade had precipitated gen- eral liquidation. The assignment of the Grooms brought 178 head of Bates-bred Short-horns upon the mar- ket at auction June 19 and 20, 1878, but sup- port was furnished by numerous bidders, and a general average of $405 was made upon the en- tire lot. Leading sales were as follows: Kirk- levington Duchess of Horton, bought for Bow * An incident of the trade that attracted widespread attention about this period was a suit for damages brought by Hon. T. J. Megibben against E. G. Bedford, both of Kentucky. The case grew out of the purchase by Mr. Megibben of Mr. Bedford's half interest in the Duchess bull Duke of Wood- land that had been dropped by the 4th Duchess of Oneida, purchased Jointly by these gentlemen at the New York Mills sale for $25,000. The calf was imperfect— showing but one testicle— and proved impotent; honce the suit. The most eminent lawyera In Kentucky were engaged as counsel, including1 the Hon. John G. Carlisle, W. C. P. Breckenridgo and others. Nearly all the leading Kentucky breeders of Short-horns were summoned to give expert testimony. The jury disagreed, and at a second trial the result was sti!, ttwe flame. On the third hearing Mr. Megibben secured judgment for $9.000. THE TURN C'F THE TIDE. 533 Park at $2,800; Kirklevington Duchess of Kent 2d, Avery & Murphy, $2,000; Wild Eyes of Vine- wood, same firm, $2,800; Winsome 16th, taken to Bow Park at $2,600; Miss Wild Eyes 3d, Hon. M. H. Cochrane, $1,900; Lally 8th and Barring- ton Lally, A. L. Hamilton, $1,550 and $1,525 re- spectively; May Rose 4th, Col. Le G. B. Cannon, $2,010; Bell Duchess, A. F. Duckworth, $1,325; 2d and 4th Duchesses of Vinewood, C. H. An- drews, Youngstown, 0., $1,225 and $1,075 re- spectively; 6th Duchess of Vinewood, S. White, Windsor, Ont., $1,100; 15th Lady of Oxford, bought for Bow Park at $1,000. T. Corwin Anderson of Side -View, Kentucky, was a free buyer at this sale. At H. N. Moore's sale in Iowa T. R. Westrope paid $2,150 for the roan Bates Secret cow Silver Lady, bred by J. P. Foster of Killhow and im- ported by John Hope. Notwithstanding occa- sional prices of this sort the 2,048 head sold at auction in America during 1878 averaged but $154. The situation abroad was better, as the English were doing business with more capital. During the same period 2,877 head were sold in Great Britain at an average of $285. Top prices in England for 1878. — Earl Bec- tive sold privately to Allsopp of Hindlip Hall six head for about $55,000; among the number being 8th Duchess of Oneida, purchased at New York Mills and now transferred at a reported 534 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOEN CATTLE. valuation of about $22,500; Duchess of Under- lay 2d, a granddaughter of 10th Duchess of Geneva, at a valuation of $15,000, and a Red Rose valued at $5,000. Simon Beattie shipped during this season to England for account of Mr. Albert Crane the 27th Duke of Airdrie and some Bates and Booth females; for Avery & Murphy, Airdrie Duchess 3d and heifer calf Airdrie Duchess 9th, 4th Forclham Duke of Ox- ford and Grand Airdrie; and for Pickrell & Kissinger the Booth-bred Bright Lady of the Realm, an own sister to the famous Breast- plate.* The 27th Duke of " Airdrie fetched $2,225 at the sale of A. Brogden, being bought by Mr. A. H. Lloyd. The Duke of Devonshire had meantime be- come one of the great Short-horn powers of Great Britain. His herd was specially dis- tinguished for the excellence of its Oxfords, and under the skillful management of Mr. Drewry, one of the most intelligent of all those who have contributed to Short-horn prestige abroad, the Holker Hall Short-horns gained international fame. Drewry was probably one of the best judges of his time, and, while par- tial to Bates blood, gave careful consideration fco the individual character and quality of the herd under his charge. At the Holker sale of 1878 Baroness Oxford 5th, by 5th Duke of *Mr. T. C. Booth of Warlaby died in 1878 THE TURN OF THE TIDE. 535 Wetherby (31033), was taken by D. Mclntosh at $13,300; Grand Duchess of Oxford 22d was bought by W. McCulloch at $10,500; Grand Duchess of Oxford 21st, by Lord Penryhn, at $7,750; Grand Duchess of Oxford 40th went to S. P. Foster at $8,000; Grand Duchess of Oxford 19th to Maj. Chaffey at $4,275; the 44th Duke of Oxford (39774) to H. A. Brassey at $8,250; the 45th Duke of Oxford 'to Lord Fitzhardinge at $7,500, and the 46th Duke to the Earl of Ellesmere at $3,330. At a sale made by Mr. J. W. Larking Sir Curtis Lampson gave $7,550 for the American- bred 3d Duke of Hillhurst (30975). The Duke of Devonshire invested $4,525 in Cherry Duch- ess of Hillhurst and $4,250 in Marchioness of Worcester, by 8th Duke of Geneva; and Mr. Allsopp gave $3,000 for Belle of Worcester. At a sale made by T. Holford A. H. Lloyd paid $4,050 for Winsome 12th; D. Mclntosh gave $4,000 for Viscount of Oxford (40876), and All- sopp paid from $2,000 to $3,000 for several lots. Dark days of 1879.— The year 1879 was a repetition of the previous season except that the depression in values of such cattle as were expected to sell on the strength of their breed- ing was still more profound on this side of the Atlantic. Trade at both public and private sale in America was flat, and hundreds of those who had been chasing the rainbows of fashion 536 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. found themselves in the possession of cattle that were not good enough to command high prices on their merits as individuals and for which no market existed among those who had been engaged in the mad race for "blue" blood regardless of all other considerations. There were a few speculators who believed that the depression was only temporary, one of whom was the late T. Corwin Anderson of Side View, Ky., who insisted that purchases made at prices then prevailing would ultimately show a hand- some profit. At a sale made from Bow Park at Dexter Park, Chicago, Oct. 17, Mr. Anderson gave $1,000 for Kirklevington Duchess 23d; but there were few who had sufficient courage to take hold at any such price. The total number of cattle sold during the year in America was 2,865, disposed of at the very unsatisfactory average of $115. Of these more than 2,000 head were sold under the hammer of Col. J. W. Judy. An illustration of the general desire to liquidate was afforded by the fact that during this season the Hamiltons of Kentucky sold 3% head at auction at Kansas City at an average of $109 each. Wealthy English noblemen and land-holders still managed to keep things moving on the other side. Mr. Fox sold Duke of Elmhurst, out of the American-bred 20th Duchess of Air- drie, to go to Australia at $10,000. At Lord THE TURN OF THE TIDE. 537 Dunmore's sale Allsopp gave $16,000 for Duch- ess 117th and $13,500 for Duchess 114th, and Sir Curtis Lampson paid $6,250 for Duke of Cornwall 2d (43082). At Lord Skelmersdale's sale at Latham House in September Mr. R. Locler of Whittlebury paid $10,000 for Duchess of Ormskirk. At Lord Braybrooke's sale at Audley End, Allsopp gave $5,000 for Thorn- dale Rose 7th; Earl Bective paid $4,500 for Thorndale Rose 9th and Sir Curtis Lampson $3,000 for Thorndale Rose 12th. At Col. Kings- cote's sale Lord Fitzhardinge gave $5,500 for Oxford Belle 5th; and the bull Oxford Beau 7th (42082), by Duke of Hillhurst, was bought by Mr. Angas of Australia at $3,375. Mr. Angas also bought a number of the get of Duke of Connaught at Lord Fitzhardinge's Berkeley Castle sale, including Lady Wild Eyes 12th at $2,000, At this same sale Mr. J. A. Rolls gave $3,750 for Kirklevington Empress 2d, by Duke of Connaught. Notwithstanding these occa- sional high prices the general trend of values in Great Britain was also downward, the sales for the year aggregating 2,354 head at an aver- age of $240. This average would have been materially less but for the few sensational prices above quoted. The rally of 1880.— The panic which had prevailed among the holders of speculative lots in America for several years had now spent 538 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. its force in large degree and a somewhat better feeling prevailed. On June 30 Hon. M. H. Cochrane ventured the sale of forty-three head at Dexter Park, Chicago, which made the hand- some average of $900. This result was largely due to the liberal bidding of Col. Le Grand B. Cannon, a wealthy fancier of Burlington, Vt., who paid $8,000 each for the 7th and 8th Duch- esses of Hillhurst. Mr. N. P. Clarke of St. Cloud, Minn., purchased the 7th Duke of Hill- hurst 34221 at $3,900. The Bow Park manage- ment took Kirklevington Duchess of Kent 2d at 12,600 arid Mr. Bronson C. Rumsey of Niag- ara Stock Farm, Buffalo, N. Y., paid $4,150 for Marchioness of Barringtons 5th and 6th. In December, 1879, two disastrous fires had occurred among the buildings of Bow Park, the institution suffering great loss. The indirect result of this was to force the company to ship a large number of cattle to the States. The old Glen Flora Farm of Messrs. Parks at Wau- kegan, 111., was selected as a suitable distribut- ing point, and several sales were afterward made there at which prices ranged well above the average being obtained at Western sales.* The Hamiltons of Kentucky were still free sellers, disposing of 190 head at Kansas City in * The Hon. George Brown died in the spring of 1880; his death resulting from a shot fired by one of the employes in the office of the Toronto Globe. The shooting resulted in a flesh wound from which blood-poisoning set in. THE TURN OF THE TIDE. j May for an average of $118. At a sale in Chi- cago they sold sixty-four head at an average of $219, at which Maj. S. E. Ward of Kansas City paid $1,300 for the cow Rosebud. About 500 head were sold at auction in Kentucky during this summer; Mr. T. C. Anderson's sixty-six head averaging $227; Vanmeter & Hamilton's fifty-five head averaged $304; W. T. Hearne's fifty-two head averaged $287; I. C. Vanmeter's nineteen head averaged $320; E. S. Cunning- ham paying $1,510 for Sharon's Beauty and A. M. Bowman of Virginia $1,500 for Sharon's Belle. Messrs. Tracy sold forty-nine head at an average of $272. The 3,222 head sold publicly in America dur- ing 1880 averaged $144. The British average for the same period on 1.820 head was $175; the only extraordinary price made in England dur- ing the year being $10,000 paid by the Earl of Feversham for 3d Duchess of Underley at Earl Bective's. Sir Curtis Lampson gave $4,900 at same sale for 12th Maid of Oxford. The Vaile arid Rumsey importations. — In October, 1880, importations of Bates cattle were resumed, important purchases being made by Col. H. M. Vaile of Independence, Mo., and B. C. Rumsey, Buffalo, N. Y. The Vaile importation consisted of sixteen head, including some capital Waterloos from the fine herd of the Rev. J. I. D. Jefferson of 540 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Thicket Priory, Yorkshire; Kirklevingtons from J. W. Larking, Ashdown House, Sussex; the roan Wild Eyes 34th, etc. From this importa- tion many valuable Short-horns were bred. Indeed, the Vaile Waterloos became famous throughout the West for their fine quality and flesh. Mr. Rumsey's lot included the Duke of Con- naught cows Oxford Duchess 3d, Kirklevington Empress 4th, and Wisdom 2d; Rowfant Kirk- levrngton 4th and Rowfant Peach from Sir Curtis Lampson's; aBarrington heifer from H. Lovatt's and the roan bull Knight of Oxford 2d (39549), bred by R. P. Davies. During this sea- son Mr. Rumsey bought Airdrie Duchess 8th from Avery & Murphy at a reported price of $10,000. Sales of 1881. — Considerable activity and some strong prices characterized the auction sales of 1881. An offering of fifty-five head from Bow Park made at Glen Flora Farm brought the gratifying average of $516.35. Messrs. DeGraff & Brown of Minnesota* paid $4,200 for Duchess of Oxford 21st; H. L. Stout, Dubuque, la., $2,550 for Kirklevington Duchess 26th, $2,350 for 46th Duke of Oxford and $1,810 *Col. Charles A. DeGraff, who bought this cow jointly with H. F. Brown, was the owner of the beautiful estate known as Lake Elysian Stock Farm, near Janesville, Minn. He was a big, broad-gauged, generous-hearted man, who for some years contributed largely to live-stock improvement in the Northwest, and his death, which occurred a few years since, removed from the fraternity of American stock-breeders one of its most admirable charac- ters. THE TURN OF THE TIDE. 541 for 10th Duchess of Barrington, and Hon. John Wentworth took the 8th Duke of Kirkleving- ton at $1,760. As indicating the magnitude of the business being transacted at West Liberty, la., it may be mentioned that in the spring of this year the late Robert Miller and others sold about 250 head at auction, the average price received on the lot being $123.50. On May 18 and 19 at Port Huron, Mich., Messrs. Avery & Murphy and John P. Sanborn sold 122 head at an average of $950. The Messrs. Hamilton of Kentucky bought Airdrie Duchess 2d at $7,000 and Airdrie Duchess 5th at $3,000. Mitchell Bros, of Detroit bid off Airdrie Duchess llth at $5,055. T. C. Anderson of Kentucky paid $2,900 for Wild Eyes of Vine- wood and $2,000 for Wild Eyes of Vinewood 2d. G. J. Hagerty of Ohio gave $1,500 for Marquis of Oxford 39861, and J. S. Berry of Kentucky took imp. Kirklevington Princess 2d at $2,010. At the Hamilton sale in Kentucky, in Au- gust, sixty-one head averaged $489.25; top prices being $1,705 paid by E. L. Chrisman, In- dependence, Mo., for Kirklevington Lady Ox- ford 2d; $1,515, $1,500 and $1,025 by Gen. John .S. Williams of Kentucky for three Kirkleving- tons; $1,510 by J. M. Bigstaff of Kentucky for Barrington Place, and $1,225 by T. C. Ander- son for Peach Blossom 9th. Mr. Ben. F. Van- fneter was at this time in partnership with the 542 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Messrs, Hamilton,* and at a sale held by the firm of Vanmeter & Hamiltons this season seventy-three head averaged $519; ten head of Renick Rose of Sharons being knocked off at prices ranging up to $3,000. On Nov. 10 the Bow Park people sold thirty- eight head at Glen Flora Farm at an average of $555; Mr. A. J. Alexander of Woodburn Farm, Kentucky, buying imp. Kirklevington Duchess of Horton — famous as the dam of the fat-stock show champion Clarence Kirkleving- ton—at $2,030. Messrs. Henshaw, Trimble & Pickett of Plattsburg, Mo., gave $4,025 at this sale for imp. Grand Duchess of Oxford 29th, of the Duke of Devonshire's breeding. Mr. S. F. Lockridge of Greencastle, Ind., paid $1,700 for Waterloo 38th, and the Hon. Emory Cobb of Kankakee, 111., purchased imp. Kirklevington Duchess 17th at 11,270. A new era at hand.— Another milestone in Short-horn history had now been reached. The great outburst of enthusiasm for cattle of the Bates, Booth, and allied tribes which had swept over England and America was now subsiding. In its earlier phases it represented the tribute of the cattle-breeding world to the genius of successful breeders; the verdict of two conti- nents upon the refinement, beauty, and quality * Messrs. Vanmeter & Hamiltons had a few years prior to this sale ac- quired by purchase about one-half of Mr. Renick's herd, including quite a number of 4th Duke of Geneva cows. THE TURN OF THE TIDE. 543 of the Bates-bred tribes and the sturdy sub- stance and deep flesh of the Warlaby stock. Undoubted merit lay at the foundation of the fashions that ruled the sale-rings of both conti- nents for so many years, as detailed in the foregoing pages. Unfortunately not all of those who made investments during this pe- riod were actuated by a desire to promote the interests of the breed. Indeed, as the great "boom" progressed it drew to itself many who simply improved the opportunity to indulge their speculative instincts without any special reference to the effect of their operations upon the general welfare. Many of the Duchesses, Princesses, Rose of Sharons and other favorites were bought at enormous prices not because they were better than the average well-bred Short-horn of their time, but in the hope that some other eager investor would be willing to pay a like price for the progeny. It will be observed from a perusal of the preceding chap- ters that only such tribes were systematically "promoted" as were comparatively scarce and in few hands. It would have been idle for any man or group of men to attempt to maintain such figures for any of the more prolific or widely-distributed sorts. Injudicious breeding. — In some instances these high-priced cattle fell into the hands of careful men who handled them with a decent 544 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. regard for sound principles of breeding. Tn some herds they were mated with consummate skill and judgment, and the original merit of the stock was in these exceptional cases fairly well maintained. Too often, however, these unfortunate descendants of a noble ancestry became the mere tools of speculators and the victims of a vicious system which could have but one result; to-wit.: inevitable deterioration. A certain set even undertook the foolhardy task of breeding the Bates tribes "absolutely pure." There were still in existence more than thirty-five years after the death of Thomas Bates cattle belonging to families originated either by himself or his tenants, the Messrs. Bell, which had been kept squarely within strict Bates lines; that is to say entirely free from admixture of blood from any other than the Bates source. One has but to hark back to the practice of Bates himself to find ample warrant for characterizing this procedure on the part of certain of his alleged disciples as utterly unworthy not only of the master of Kirklevington, but, as a proposition in scien- tific breeding, not to be considered by intel- ligent men. Fortunately there were but few who undertook to carry this reckless practice to extreme lengths. It was pointed out that but for the outcrossed families, not only of the Bates but of the Booth tribes, the main chai?- THE TURN OF THE TIDE. 545 nels of those bloods would have ceased to cut much figure upon the Short-horn map. The "pure" Duchesses about this time became ex- tinct both in Europe and America, leaving the field, so far as Mr. Bates' favorite family was concerned, to the outcrossed branches. The effort to preserve the Kirklevington tribes for an indefinite period free from admixture of other blood met with no success so far as sus- taining the individual merit of the cattle was concerned. Evils of speculation, — There is nothing so dangerous as popularity. Whenever it is dem- onstrated that cattle of any particular line of breeding possess pronounced merit and repre- sent a blood concentration likely to insure pre- potency a widespread demand leads to the re- tention for breeding purposes of "all sorts and conditions" of cattle carrying the coveted ped- igree. The really good specimens are taken by leading breeders or wealthy speculators at fancy prices, leaving the inferior and indiffer- ent "misfits" for those whose purse does not permit of the purchase of the best. Thus it came to pass that during the years of inflated values the tendency of Short-horn breeding was away from correct standards, so far as practical excellence for the farm, the dairy, or the feed-lot was concerned. The entire breed was "honeycombed" by the speculative mania. 546 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. At the same time there were not only in Great Britain but America certain sturdy characters who refused to be stampeded at the crack of fashion's whip. There were in nearly every State in the Union, as well as in Canada and Great Britain, devoted lovers of the breed who, often at great apparent cost to themselves, maintained the sacred fires of the early Short- horn faith. True to the principles of those who gave the breed to the world they persist- ently pursued individual excellence in the ani- mal as the corner stone of all progress; and to these men the breed owes its preservation from those who were unintentionally poisoning the very fountains of its vitality. The spur of opposition. — Several causes con- spired to bring American breeders to their senses about this period. Coincident with the declining merit for practical purposes of those tribes that were most frequently in the public eye came the invasion of the markets of the West by two of Britain's most distinguished beef types; to- wit.: the Herefords and black polls. The establishment of the American Fat-Stock Show at Chicago, which occurred in 1878, gave these new candidates for public favor an opportunity of which they were not slow to take advantage. "White-faces" and "doddies" began to appear in force for the first time in the history of American cattle-breed- THE TURN OF THE TIDE. 547 ing at the great State fairs of the West. En- terprising and intelligent men devoted time and ample capital to a presentation of their merits as feeders' and butchers' beasts. It was apparent from the beginning that before the tribunal of practical men constituting the great body of Western feeders and stock-yards buyers only such Short-horns as possessed sub- stance, feeding capacity and natural wealth of flesh could successfully defend the colors of the "red, white and roan." Style without stamina could not resist the shock. Finish without flesh failed to satisfy the cold logic of the block. Those who had been dictating terms to the Short-horn cattle-breeding fra- ternity were now confronted with a competi- tion that based its claims not upon past reputation, but upon actual present worth. Those who were endeavoring to sustain the prestige of the prevailing fashionable type made a brave effort to cope with their formid- able adversaries, and in some noteworthy in- stances succeeded in presenting animals fit to stand for the credit of any breed at any time in any place. Such isolated instances, how- ever, only served all the more effectually to prove that something weightier than mere pedigree, something more tangible than mere pride of birth was the crying need of the hour. 548 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Scotch cattle to the fore. — Naturally in such an emergency the character of the Short-horns available at the time for repelling the newly- introduced breeds became the subject of close scrutiny. Examination of the breeding of the cattle that had been sustaining and were still battling for the honor of the breed at leading shows in the West revealed the fact that the fighting line was not held, as a general propo- sition, by animals representing the prevailing fashionable blood. It so happened that at this critical juncture in Short-horn affairs on this side the Atlantic some of the stoutest defend- ers of 'Short-horn fame against rival breeds had been brought from the old-established herds of Scotland. Baron Booth of Lancaster (half-Booth, half-Scotch), Violet's Forth, the Golden Drops, Orange Blossom 18th, and other North Country cattle that had been seen in the West in former years were recalled as types of the stamp now demanded. The Scotch-bred Duke of Rich- mond 21525 and other cattle of his compact, fleshy conformation were even then holding back the Hereford host. The hour had struck; and the early "eighties" found the Aberdeen- shire Short-horn claiming the center of the American Short-horn stage. CHAPTER XVIII. SCOTLAND'S SEARCHING TEST. On the rich farming lands of England and America the Short-horn, as a prolific source of both profit and pleasure, had received early and adequate recognition. For half a century " John Bull" and "Brother Jonathan" had been heaping honors and riches at the feet of the "red, white and roan" with a recklessness un- paralleled in agricultural history, but in win- ning its way into their affections the breed had reveled in the bounty of the most opulent ag- riculture the world has ever seen. Could it maintain its superiority when the path no longer led through the grassy vales of York and Durham, or by the rustling cornfields of "the States"? It was not until long after the great feeders of the Ohio Valley began driving their fine big Short-horn steers to seaboard markets that the tenant farmers of the North of Scotland undertook to answer this pertinent question in a district where balmy breezes, sunny skies, rich pastures, groaning grain bins and other bovine "creature comforts" were conspicuous mainly by their absence; and the (549) 550 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. triumphant vindication of the intrinsic value of Short-horn blood, under apparently adverse conditions of soil and climate, resulting from that practical test makes up one of the bright- est chapters in the annals of the breed, inci- dentally it also furnishes a lesson in good farm- ing that is world-wide in its application. The story of the Short-horn in the North of Scot- land has, therefore, a deep significance. "Caledonia stern and wild." — Within the memory of the generation now passing Aber- deenshire, a comparatively bleak and unpro- ductive country, was unknown as a producer of prime beef. To-day, thanks to Short-horn blood, turnips, Capt. Barclay of Ury, Grant Duff of Eden, Hay of Shethin, Watson of Keillor, McCombie of Tillyfour, the Cruick- shanks of Sittyton, their contemporaries and successors, it is one of the primary factors in the world's supply. Reaching from the Northern Highlands of Perth and the forest of Glen Ey, "Land of brown heath and shaggy wood; Land of the mountain and the flood," to where Kinnaird Head finally plows its way into the surf of Northern seas, Aberdeenshire presents a rolling landscape, strewn for the most part with the stony debris deposited by the ancient glaciers of the Grampians. A rough, broken country, possessing but limited areas of good soil, wanting in natural shelter, SCOTLAND'S SEARCHING TEST. 551 swept for a good portion of the year by the chill East winds of the German Ocean, and enduring the long, dark winters of a latitude of 58 deg. north it is one of the marvels of our time that the Aberdonian tenantry and their neighbors of adjacent districts in the face of such environment should have won so high a place in the farming world. Science, "roots" and Short-horns. — For gen- erations the Northern farmers had made but little progress in the improvement of their cat- tle. A scanty herbage was grazed by the na- tive, unimproved, black hornless breed of the district, or by the shaggy little steers from the Western Highlands, and these supplied what beef was required for local consumption. The feeding of cattle for distant markets, as a reg- ular source of revenue, could receive but scant attention. In the course of time, however, science came to the rescue. Experience proved the beneficent effects of lime and bone dust upon many hitherto sterile stone-fenced fields, thus paving the way for the successful intro- duction of the culture of turnips as a stock food; since carried to a degree of perfection unknown in any other country. Marsh and moor-lands were transformed by drainage and artificial fertilization. Some good grass fol- lowed; and this, along with the "neeps"* and 'Colloquial Scotch for turnips- 552 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. oat fields, provided a firm foundation for a more profitable agriculture. Indeed, "roots " fairly revolutionized North-Country farming and rendered it possible to attempt the im- provement of the size and weight of the Aber- deenshire, Banff and Forfar herds with pros- pects of success.* The experiment was made and carried to a successful issue primarily by the use of Short-horn blood. Feed-lot considerations paramount, — Those who inaugurated this work of improvement, as well as those who followed in their footsteps, were, as a rule, men who made a living by their own unaided efforts. Upon those North- ern hills life was real and earnest. There was no place in the local agriculture for the purely ornamental. Cattle had first of all to be of a rent-paying sort. This called for sound consti- tutions to enable the animals to withstand the climate and for a feeding quality and early maturity that would give prompt and full re- turns in the feed-lot for all forage consumed. Those to whom the early breeders had to look for the sale of their surplus bulls were men who had roofs to keep over their heads. They * During a visit to Aberdeenshlre In 1892 the author was shown a fine turnip field— on one of the farms held by Mr. William Duthle from the Earl of Aberdeen— which, originally a peat bog, had been drained and reclaimed at a cost to the tenant of about £30 per acre. Inasmuch as this sum ($150) represents about double the value in fee simple of good American farms, this fact affords a fitting illustration of the expense and labor with which many North of Scotland farms were adapted to the requirements of sue ceaaful cattle-breeding. SCOTLAND'S SEARCHING TEST. 558 could indulge in no "fads" or fancies. The get of any sire, no matter how distinguished his lineage, were studiously shunned unless show- ing plainly the qualifications demanded in an atmosphere where economy and practical util- ity were the essential handmaids of thrift. It thus happened that Short-horn breeding in the North rested from the beginning on the bedrock of actual merit for feeding purposes. Crossing the border. — Tweedside marks the Northern confines of England. At the river's mouth, on the Scottish side, stands the historic city of Berwick, sternly typical of the character of the people over whose destinies it kept "watch and ward" for centuries. On the grassy southern bank lies ancient Northumbria and Flodden Field. The ruined battlements of Norham Castle remind the traveler in these parts of the Border Country's stormy past; but since the days of William Wallace and King James this pastoral region has fallen under gentler sway. From the Cheviots to the Hills of Lammermoor the herds and flocks of a thrifty husbandry have grazed, free from war's alarms, for generations. Prior to the introduction of the breed into the Northern Counties it had already been proved that Short-horns would thrive in the South of Scotland. Indeed, they had been suc- cessfully transplanted early in the century 554 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. from the Valley of the Tees across the border into the district lying between the River Tweed and the Firth of Forth. Robertson of Lady- kirk and Rennie of Phantassie were the pio- neers in this forward movement toward the North; and after the introduction of Short- horn bulls had aroused the spirit of improve- ment among the farmers of the higher latitude the blood of these earliest Scottish herds be- came an important element in the evolution of the Aberdeenshire type. Robertson of Lady kirk. — Residing near Coldstream, Berwickshire, close by the placid waters of the Tweed, Robertson of Ladykirk, Scotland's first breeder of Short-horn cattle, acquired an early familiarity with the merits of the original Short-horn stock of Northum- berland and Durham. A contemporary of the Collings, Mason, Grey of Dilston, Bates and Thomas Booth he had ample opportunities for making a thorough study of the breed while still in its infancy. Quick to adopt practical ideas into his own farming operations he re- solved to transfer to Scottish territory some of the best of the Ketton and Barmpton blood. Cows and heifers of the most approved Tees- water type were selected mainly on their mer- its as individuals and crossed by herd-book bulls of Colling and kindred breeding. The canny Scot, however, was opposed to the whole SCOTLAND'S SEARCHING TEST. 555 scheme of pedigree registration. Geo. Coates and his saddlebags found no welcome at Lady- kirk. Robertson held that the attempt to limit the choice of cattle reared for practical farm purposes to such as might chance to be bred within herd-book Hues constituted an unrea- sonable check upon freedom of individual judg- ment and would -prove a bar to real progress. Fortunately for the breed Jonas Whitaker and others saw the wisdom of providing a founda- tion for the future by recording the lineage of the first of the " improved" Short-horns. Al- though registration went steadily on in England the Berwickshire breeder's patronage was stub- bornly withheld. It transpires, therefore, that the breeding of the Ladykirk cows, although well known to their owner, was never put on record and those who started from this essen- tially sound and substantial stock of Short- horns were unable to trace their pedigrees to their actual English origin. That the herd was well bred has never been questioned. That it attained a high standard of excellence is borne out by all the early chronicles of Tweedside agriculture. That it furnished the foundation for many a fine family of cattle in the North is one of the primary propositions of Scotch Short-horn history. Rennie of Phantassie. — The colors of the <;red, white and roan" were carried from 556 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Tweedside to the Forth by John Rennie oi the farm of Phantassie, in the County of Had- dington (East Lothian). His father, George Rennie, had been one of the most active pro- moters of agricultural improvement in his day; having been sent when a mere lad into the Tweedside country to study the farming of that district, where such men as Lord Kames, Renton of Lamberton, Hume of Ninewells, Fordyce of Ayton, and others had begun exten- sive improvements upon their estates. The knowledge thus gained by observation was af- terward turned to good account at Phantassie. A man of fine business ability and sound judg- ment, Rennie rose to great eminence as a breeder and feeder of fine Short-horns in a region already famous for the skill of its farm- ers.* He bought from Robertson of Ladykirk, with whom he was on terms of intimate friend- ship, and also drew upon the herds of the first English improvers of the breed. Rennie agreed with Robertson in reference to the then newly-established Short-horn Herd Book of England and also refused to record his cattle in it, but the perfection to which he brought his herd is attested by references made to his stock by Youatt, McCombie and other au- thorities. The Northern farmers who bought * The farming of the Lothians is to this day a source of National pride in Scotland. SCOTLAND'S SEARCHING TEST. 557 cattle from these Southern herds were in quest of a profitable feeding type rather than partic- ular blood-lines. They knew little and proba- bly cared less about the disputes as to the rela- tive values of different strains as carried on by their English brethren. Indeed, those who owned animals tracing descent from these two primal Scottish herds were quite content to rest the pedigrees at ^lie base upoA the sub- stantial names fcnd character of "Rennie of Phantassie" or "Robertson of Ladykirk." An abrupt termination this, one might say, and yet to those who drew material from those sources it meant a foundation in genuine Short- horn merit as firm as the granite hills of their native land. Rennie has the honor of having supplied the first Short-horn bull ever taken into the terri- tory North of the River Dee, reference to which will be made further on.* *"We have been honored with a letter from Mr. John Rennie on the subject of his stock from which we make the following- extract, confirma- tory of Mr. Brown's account, and which, in justice to so enterprising and skillful a breeder ap Mr. Rennie, should be placed upon record: 'The principal breed (he means among the few who have directed their attention to the breeding of cattle) is Short-horns, or Teeswaters, which were intro- duced by myself, having selected them from Mr. Robertson of Ladykirk, who, I have no hesitation in saying, had some of the best Short-horns in the kingdom. I also had two or three bulls of the best blood from the County of Durham. I had three or four large sales of stock which were attended by some of the most celebrated breeders in England and Scotland. Bulls were bought at from £50 to £120 each to go 200 miles north and above 300 miles south.' " Mr. Brown of Drylaw Hill, to whom we are indebted for some previous remarks, informs us that about the years 1818 and 1819 the Short-horned OT Teeswater breed of *i.e best and purest sort was introduced into the countv 558 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Barclay of Ury.~ The father of Short-horn breeding in the North was one of the best- known characters of his day and generation — Capt. Barclay of Ury. Descended from an old Kincardineshire family, distinguished for great physical strength, a soldier by profession and a sportsman by instinct, he developed a fondness for farming, which resulted in his founding a herd of Short-horns about the date of Ma- son's sale, from which those who afterwards engaged in the trade drew many of their most valuable foundation animals. Notwithstand- ing his success and reputation as the introdu- cer of the Short-horn in North Scotland it is an open question as to whether or not his fame in other directions was not even greater than his celebrity as a cattle-breeder. An athlete him- self Barclay was passionately fond of all forms of out-of-door sport. It is said that he once walked 1,000 miles in 1,000 hours on a wager. He was financially interested in the operation principally from the stock of the late Mr. Robertson of Ladykirk and which were descended in a direct line from those of Messrs. Colling: of Darlington. Others were likewise brought from some of the most cele- brated stocks in the North of England. For this he says the county was indebted to Mr. John Bennie, son of Mr. George Bennie. The produce of his stock is now spread over the county, and as a proof of its merits a bul- lock bred by Mr. Bennie and fed by Mr. Boyne of Woodhall received the second prize at the Smithfield Cattle Show in 1831. "Mr. Bennie obtained many prizes from the Highland and his own dis- trict society. He has had many beasts that weighed from eighty to one hundred stone (imperial weight) when at two and a half or three years old; and he once sold eighteen steers at two and a half years old which weighed from eighty-five to one hundred stone and for which he received £33 per head."— Youatt on CaWe, page 148. SCOTLAND'S SEARCHING TEST. 559 of the mail coaches of East Scotland, and one of these, notably the famous "Defiance," was one of the noted outfits of its time.* He had a very celebrated breed of game fowls, and was a devoted patron of the cock-pit and the prize- ring. Fond of arranging fistic encounters be- tween the expert boxers of that period he often served in the capacity of "trainer" as well as backer. Good dogs and the " mimic warfare of the chase" also claimed his attention. Indeed for more than a generation the exploits of Bar- clay of Ury, by flood and field, furnished the theme for many a "rattling" story told at officers' "mess" or wayside inn. Barclay had inherited from his father the estate of Ury on the banks of the River Cowie, hard by the seaport of Stonehaven. At large expense of time and labor, by the liberal use of lime and by the importation of skilled plow- men and improved implements from Norfolk, the elder Barclay had secured fair grass and had successfully introduced the culture of turnips. The Captain was on terms of intimate friend- ship with Wetherell and had many interesting * Barclay once drove the " Defiance " through on a wager of £1,000 from London to Aberdeen without leaving the box. It is said that on this trip the coach was " horsed " at two stages by Thoroughbreds as leaders that had never been in harness before. On arriving at Aberdeen a friend remarked, "Captain, you must be tired." Barclay replied, "I have £1,000 that says I can drive back to London again starting in the morn." 560 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. "sessions" with Watson and McCombie, the great improvers of the Aberdeen- Angus polls. His first great success with Short-horns fol- lowed his purchase of the best cow sold at the dispersion sale of Mason of Chilton — the beau- tiful roan Lady Sarah at 150 guineas. She was a daughter of the massive roan cow Portia, illustrated in the first volume of Coates' Herd Book. At Ury she proved prolific, producing the bulls Monarch (4495), Mahomed (6170), Pedestrian (7321), Sovereign (7539), and the three heifers, Julia, Cecily, and Helen. Bar- clay was familiar with the Bakewell scheme of the Collings, Bates, and the elder Booth, and produced the valuable roan bull Mahomed, above mentioned, by breeding Monarch back to his own dam, Lady Sarah. Mahomed was sold as a calf, but, developing into a capital bull, was bought back in 1839. He appears to have been used in the herd until 1841, and sired among other valuable animals The Pacha (7612), the progenitor of many animals after- ward distinguished in Scotch Short-horn his- tory. Lady Sarah's daughters Cecily and Helen were sold to Mr. Pollock of County Meath, Ire- land, along with their produce; and their de- scendants were afterward to be seen in the noted Booth-bred herd of Barnes of Westland. Besides Mahomed Monarch sired the successful stock bull BilJy (3151), that was sold as a calf SCOTLAND'S SEARCHING TEST. 561 to Hutcheson of Monyruy, who afterward parted with him at a high price to Boswell of Kingcausie. He was winner of the Highland Society's prize in 1840 and his heifers gave rise to many valuable Scottish tribes. He was the sire of the cow Clipper, the matron of the famous Cruickshank bull-breeding tribe bear- ing her name. Billy (3151), The Pacha (7612), Conqueror (6884), and Premier (6308), all bred by Barclay, were used in founding the Cruick- shank herd.* The Ury cattle of this date are said to have possessed great scale and substance. In 1838 the original herd, which owed its excellence very largely to Lady Sarah, was dispersed in order, it is said, to replenish the Captain's purse. The bull Mahomed seems, however, to have been retained at Ury. The best lots in this sale were the get of Monarch (4495), three of whose daughters made over £100 each. About eighty head were sold for a total of £3,000. Lady Sarah at thirteen years old was sold to Mr. Wetherell at 40 guineas, It has been asserted that she afterward became the * Messrs. Cruickshank had in their herd at Sittyton at one time sixty fe- males descended from cows sired by Billy (3151). In color he was a light roan, almost white, with broad forehead, eyes prominent and mild, horns very short and pointing1 toward his ears, carcass lengthy and deep, on short legs. He had also a very fine disposition. At eight years old his live weight was 2,500 Ibs., and his girth around the heart eight feet four Inches. He was very heavy in front, but not so neat and good in his hind- quarterSo This description was given by Mr. T. F. Jamieson of Ellon. Aberdeenshire, in the London (Eng.) Live-stock Journal for May 26, 1883. 562 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. property of Hugh Watson, in which case she would be entitled to credit in connection with the birth of the Aberdeen-Angus breed as well as furnishing the foundation of the Aberdeen- shire Short-horns. Speaking of this remark able cow the late Amos Cruickshank once said: "I question if ever there was a better breed of Short-horns either in England, Scot- land or anywhere else than the Lady Sarah tribe." About 1840 Barclay began another herd with Mahomed at the head. He bought ten females at a sale made by Hon. J. B. Simpson of Bab- worth, in Nottinghamshire, and Wetherell pur- chased some heifers and calves for him from Burrows of Carleton Hall, near Carlisle. It is stated that probably the best cow in this sec- ond herd was Julia, a roan that carried more or less Booth blood and was sired by Paganini (2405). She became the dam of two bulls af- terward extensively used at Ury — Pacha (7612) and The Duke (7593). Paganini was full of Col. Cradock's blood. The 2d Duke of Northumber- land (3646) was hired for service from Mr. Bates in 1842, but after serving a year at Ury was transferred to Mr. Grant Duff's herd at Edenr where he remained two years and got one very good bull called Duplicate Duke (6952). The Duchess bull nevertheless did not leave a very good reputation in the North. SCOTLAND'S SEARCHING TEST. 563 Duke (7593) was another of his sons, which, along with The Pacha, did most of the work in the herd during the remainder of its exist- ence. The final dispersion occurred Sept. 22, 1847, with Wetherell as auctioneer. There were about ninety of the Ury cattle at that date, but prices were not so good as at the previous sale. Probably the quality was not equal to the original Lady Sarah lot. Forty-two cows averaged £34 14s. each, the highest being Rosa- mond, by Sultan (5349), which went to Long- more of Rettie at 73 guineas, and Molly, by The Pacha, bought by Hay of Shethin for 71 guin- eas. Campbell of Kinellar here laid the foun- dation for his afterward celebrated herd by the purchase of two heifers by The Pacha. The Messrs. Cruickshank of Sittyton were also buy- ers. The ninety-one animals fetched an aver- age of £31 Is. each. Ury was undoubtedly the corner stone of the Scottish Short-horn structure. The bulls from the Barclay herd were used originally to cross upon the native black cows, and the improve- ment wrought was so apparent that probably a majority of the herds of the district received an infusion of Ury blood. The result was a demand for Short-horn bulls that finally turned the attention of such men as Grant Duff of Eden, Hay of Shethin, the Cruickshanks of 564 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Sittyton, and many others to the production of pure-bred Short-horns.* Hutcheson of Monyruy. — John Hutcheson, tenant of the farm of Monyruy, near Peter- head, was the owner of a large granite quarry that supplied many of the great blocks for the London docks, and was also interested in the whale fisheries. He made a capital start in Short-horn breeding in 1837 by the purchase of Capt. Barclay's Billy (3151), above mentioned, and secured females from B. Wilson of Bra- with, Fawkes of Farnley Hall, Rennie of Kin- blethmont, and others. He also bought in Eng- land the great prize-winning bull Sir Thomas Fairfax (5196), of Whitaker's breeding. The bull was eight years old at the time of its pur- chase in 1845, and, although he was of massive character and had never been defeated in the South, long-continued training for the show- yard proved his ruin, as he died six months *McCombie of Tillyfour, who knew Barclay well, says: "Though he remains without a national acknowledgement of his merits, no man de- served better of the farmers of Scotland, for he was their firm supporter through life, in good and bad report. * * * I have been many a day in company with him and have the most vivid recollection of him as he ex- amined the stock in a show-yard. * * * He was a claimant of the Earl- dom of Monteith. No one would have made any mistake as to Capt. Bar- clay being a gentleman, although his dress was plain— a long green coat with velvet collar, and big yellow buttons; a colored handkerchief; long, yellow cashmere vest; knee breeches; very wide top-boots, with long brown, dirty tops, and plain black hat, generally pretty well worn, * * * His horses were the strongest and his fields the largest in the country. He said, 'He did not like a field in which the cattle could see one another every day.' * » » He was found dead in his bed in 1854; and in him the tenant farmers of Scotland and the poor of his own neighborhood lost one of their bestfrienus." SCOTLAND'S SEARCHING TEST. 56") after being taken to Scotland, leaving but two calves, both heifers. These grew up to be ex- cellent cows, one of which, Edith Fairfax, was bought by Messrs. Cruickshank, leaving some good descendants at Sitty ton. The other, White Fairfax, became the ancestress of a good family in the herd of James Bruce of Inverquhomery. Speaking of these Fairfax heifers Mr. Jamieson, to whom the author is indebted for many val- uable facts in relation to the early Aberdeen- shire herds, says: "Edith Fairfax was out of a fine breeding cow called Fancy, by Billy (3151), while While Fairfax's sire and dam were by Billy. The latter seemed to have put constitution into everything he got." In 1847 Hutcheson visited England in com- pany with Mr. Amos Cruickshank * and hired from Warlaby the bull Fitz Leonard (7110) at 80 guineas the season. He was shipped by steamer to Hull and walked thirty miles to Monyruy where he was retained two years. Fitz Leonard was described by Peter Boddie, * "Just as the Scotchmen were starting," says Jamieson, "a letter came from Peterhead saying- that Hutcheson's ship, the Traveller, had arrived from Davis Straits with a bumper cargo of oil. He therefore resolved to set about things in proper style. On reaching Hull a carriage was char- tered with a pair of spanking horses and the two Aberdonians drove through the Northern counties inspecting the various herds. Mr. Cruick- shank had set his heart on buying a fine bull called Fairfax Royal, bred by Torr, and to be sold at an approaching sale at Walkeringham. Knowing the high spirits of his companion he dreaded that Hutcheson might take a fancy for the same animal and be an opponent at the sale, but, as luck would have it, Richard Booth came on the scene and carried Hutcheson off wUh him to Warlaby, where he concluded the bargain for Fitz Leonard." 566 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Hutcheson's herdsman, as a lengthy enough beast but not very broad; with shortish legs and good enough quality. In the language of the old cowman, "the warst thing aboot him was his heed." Although he proved something of a disappointment in Scotland, and Amos Cruickshank averred that he would not have used him at all, yet on his return to Warlaby Fitz Leonard sired Mr. Booth's world-famous Crown Prince (10087). The Hutcheson herd was dispersed in 1852, some of the best cattle going to Sittyton. Grant Duff of Eden. — The farm of Eden was a small estate along the banks of the River Deveron in Northwestern Aberdeenshire, on the Banffshire border, and between the years 1839 and 1854 one of the best of the early Scot- tish herds was there maintained. Mr. Grant, as he was known in his earlier manhood, had been in the employ of the East India Co. and had acquired reputation as a man of fine judg- ment in that service in Bombay. It was upon his inheriting the property of Eden that he as- sumed the name of Duff. He set about the formation of his herd with a determination to possess as good cattle as could be found in all Britain. He visited the Short-horn breeding districts of England and bought some of his first cows from Chrisp of Northumberland. From Mr. Crofton he bought the bull The Peer SCOTLAND'S SEARCHING TEST. 567 (5455). Heifers were obtained from the Earl of Carlisle and Benjamin Wilson of Brawith. On one of his English visits he met Thomas Bates, who succeeded in inoculating him with somewhat of his own enthusiasm for his pet strains. The result was the purchase of the bull Holkar (4041), sired by Belvedere and out of a cow having two crosses of 2d Hubback. He was a good individual, four years old, deep red in color, with a few white patches, and was taken to Eden in May, 1840, at a cost of £162. Unfortunately he remained useful but a short time. A few years later the 2d Duke of North- umberland (3646), that had been on hire at Capt. Barclay's, was leased for service. He was not as good a bull "as Holkar, being harsh in his hair and possessed of a vicious disposi- tion, as well as a dark nose, but remained at Eden two seasons nevertheless and sired some good stock, including the two bulls Du- plicate Duke (6962) and Dannecker (7949), the latter sold to Longmore of Rettie. The show-yard victories of the Booths had by this time begun to interest the North, and an agent was dispatched to Warlaby for a bull. It is stated that he was offered the use of Buck- ingham (3239), then five years of age; but as that great sire was never an impressive animal individually the proposition was not accepted, and Duff's deputy proceeded to Kirklevington, 568 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. where he hired Duke of Richmond (7996), sired .by 2d Cleveland Lad (3408) out of Duchess 50th. This bull was followed by two others of Bates blood— Young 4th Duke (9037) and llth Duke of York (11399); both bred by G. D. Trotter, near Darlington. While it thus appears that the majority of the Eden bulls were of Bates origin, there was another sire, introduced from the herd of Wilson of Brawith, that proved perhaps a better stock-getter than any of them save Holkar. This was . Robin-o'-Day (4973), sired by Mr. Wiley's Carcase (3285). Brawith Bud. — The best cow ever intro- duced into the herd and one of the most val- uable ever taken into Scotland was the red- and-white Brawith Bud — the highest-priced animal at the Brawith sale of 1841, the oppos- ing bidders being John Booth of Killerby and Mr. Maynard — two of England's best judges. Grant Duff was one of the first breeders to publish a private catalogue with foot-notes, and in one of these is found the following: "Although Brawith Bud was as well recollected in this district (Banff) as any cow that ever was imported yet, as this is intended as a record, it may be as well to repeat that she was bred with great care and highly prized by the late Peter Consett of Brawith and left by him in special legacy to his near relative, Benjamin Wilson, who never intended to sell her. She cost Mr, SCOTLAND'S SEARCHING TEST. 569 Grant Duff £178 19s., and paid him several hundred per cent. She was a useful cow until eighteen years of age and her sire was a good bull when eighteen years old." This remarka- ble cow had been bred from a line of bulls be- longing mainly to Charles Colling 's Old Cherry tribe, receiving also a bit of Booth through her dam's sire, Young Jerry (8177). She was to Eden what Lady Sarah had been to Ury, her descendants proving the best cattle in the herd. Two of them, the heifers Second Mint and Pure Gold, went into the Cruickshank herd, where they gave rise to one of the best Sittyton fam- ilies. Numerous public sales were held from the herd at different times, so that the Eden stock became well distributed throughout the North- ern counties. In 1854 the entire herd was dis- posed of at auction,* the sale being in charge * Notwithstanding the fact that the 2d Duke of Northumberland did not make a particularly favorable impression in the North, it is apparent that Grant Duff believed that the Kirklevington blood would prove of value. At the conclusion of his last annual catalogue, issued (December, 1853} be- fore his dispersion, we find the following: " The sale of the late Earl Ducie, in Gloucestershire, has stamped a value on Mr. Bates' blood, such as Mr. B. frequently foretold. The above animals, with very few exceptions, have all more or less Kirklevington blood, which, fortunately, had been already partially infused into the stock of this district before the value in England exceeded all ordinary compe- tition. "All the animals included in the above list, with the exception of two cows (Star Pagoda and Manganese) and one bull not yet selected, are in- tended to be included in the displenish sale at Mains of Eden, on Wednes- day, 24th May, 1854, when their present owner must cease to share in for- warding that important branch of rural economy, namely, the rearing ol the best kinds of stock, but he trusts a fair and generous rivalry may pro- long and far excel our present progress in the improvement of domestic animals, which it has been his endeavor to aid and stimulate." 570 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. of Mr. Stratford, at that time editor of Coates' Herd Book and the leading auctioneer of Great Britain. No better evidence of the quality of the herd is required than is furnished by the fact that among those who attended and pur- chased were Messrs. Cruickshank, Torr, Tan- queray, Longmore and others prominent in the trade. The top price was 100 guineas, paid by Tanqueray for a daughter of Brawith Bud. Amos Cruickshank took Pure Gold at 91 guin- eas, and other lots commanded up to 90 guin- eas and 95 guineas. Simpson and Buchan Hero. — Mr. Ferguson Simpson, tenant of the farm of Mains of Pit- four, bred a good herd of Short-horns from 1835 to 1846. His chief claim to distinction rests upon his production of the celebrated show bull Buchan Hero (3238), winner of the High- land Society's £100 prize at Berwick-on-Tweed in 1841 as the best bull of any age, competition open to all Britain.* He was a massive, deep- bodied, short-legged roan, with a beautiful coat, and was bought at Berwick by Jonas Whitaker, afterward passing into the possession of Sir *"The Druid" in his delightful reminiscences of Scottish flocks ana herds, published under the title of "Field and Pern," speaking of Buchan Hero's victory at Berwick says: "One of his greatest admirers who had his eye to a • crack ' in the palings on that memorable day thus describes the contest. 'I lookit, and they drew them, and they sent a vast o' them back. Again I lookit, and still the Buchan Hero stood at the heed. They had naedoot of him then. A Yorkshireman was varra fond of him. And he wan ; and Simpson selt him to Sir Charles Tempest for 200. It was a prood day, that, for Aberdeenshire and Mr. Simpson.' " ^GOTLAND'S SEARCHING TEST. 571 Charles Tempest at 350 guineas. A yearling bull sired by him brought 200 guineas. The dam of Buchan Hero, a cow called Young Broadhooks, produced a heifer, Eliza, that was .bought for Sittyton, and from her the cham- pion show bull New' Year's Gift (57796), bred by Lord Lovat and sold to the Queen of Eng- land, was descended. Indeed it is said that this noted prize-winner resembled in essential characteristics old Buchan Hero himself. Hay of Shethin. — One of the most substan- tial characters among all those who early gave their attention to Short-horn breeding in the North was William Hay, tenant of Shethin, one of the many good farms on the extensive estates of the Earl of Aberdeen, situated in the valley of the Ythan, near Tarves, and not far removed from Collynie, Uppermill, Tillycairn, and others since made famous by Duthie and Marr. Before taking up with pedigreed cattle Hay was one of the leading graziers and feed- ers of this district and is credited with having been the first to ship bullocks by rail from Aberdeen to the London market. McCombie says that the bull Jerry that was brought to Shethin from Rennie of Phantassie in 1828 by Alexander Hay, a brother of William's, was the first Short-horn that ever crossed the River Dee. This primal bull was white and was both long-lived and prolific, leaving a deep 572 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. impression on the native black polls of the district. Hay began his Short-horn breeding opera- tions by purchases from Barclay of Ury. Two of his best cows, Molly and Clara 2d— both by The Pacha — were bought at the Ury sale of 1847. From Molly came the family of Mysies. The cow Vesta, bred by Robert Smith of Bur- ley, became the ancestress of the Venuses and Princess Royals, both of which have since be- come prime favorites with the admirers of Scotch Short-horns, but probably the best cow obtained in England was Marion, from the herd of Mr. Lovell, selected for Mr. Hay by one of the leading cattle salesmen of London. She produced the good stock bull Kelly 2d (9265), besides becoming the fountain head of a fine family of cows known as the Lovelys, after- ward celebrated in the hands of Mr. Cruick- shank, producing at Sittyton the prize bull Scotland's Pride (25100), Lord Lancaster (26666) and Lord Lansdowne (29128). Another tribute to the remarkable breeding qualities of Simp- son's Young Broadhooks was to be seen at Shethin in the shape of the splendid cow Scot- land's Queen, descended direct from the darn of Buchan Hero. For a number of years home-bred bulls were used, no less than five of which descended in a direct male line from the bull Billy (8888) of SCOTLAND'S SEARCHING TEST. 573 the Ury stock, fresh blood being brought in each time through the dams. Some service was also had from the good bull Robin o' Day (4973) of Brawith breeding. Mr. Hay had brought his herd to a rare state of excellence by 1850. There was no better in all Scotland. In that year, along with the brothers Cruick- shank, he attended the Bates dispersion where he purchased, besides Waterloo 13th, the Duch- ess bull Grand Duke (10284) at 205 guineas, the highest-priced lot of the day. It is related that before the sale began the Messrs. Cruickshank had discussed with Mr. Hay the idea of a joint purchase of the 4th Duke of York, which Mr. Amos Cruickshank thought much the best bull of the sale. Earl Ducie's opening bid of 200 guineas for that bull, however, scattered all op- position at the start; so that the project of tak- ing the bull to Scotland fell through with at once. Grand Duke was a bull with rather more length, both of body and leg, than the Scotch breeders desired, but was used two years by Mr. Hay as an experiment. It was thought that he made no improvement in the herd, and he was sold to S. E. Bolden of Eng- land at the original purchase price. In Bol- den's herd he proved more successful and was ultimately sold to America at $5,000. The Booth bull Red Knight (11967), from Killerby, was next in line. He had been first as a two- 574 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. year-old at the English Royal of 1852, and headed the aged bulls at Aberdeen in 1852. He was a compact, thick-set, short-legged, well- fleshed bull, and in 1856 was sent to the Paris Exposition. On the return trip he contracted foot-and-mouth disease and was slaughtered in London. Mr. Hay's death occurred in 1854 and his herd passed into the possession of his son-in- law. Mr. Shepherd, who, in 1856, bought the bull Bosquet (14183), of Sir Charles Knightley's breeding, and in 1858 Cherry Duke 2d (14265) from Mr. Bolden. The latter made a great record at the great Northern shows 1859-1861, but was not specially satisfactory as a sire. In feet, it has usually been claimed that the Shethin cattle were better before the Bates, Booth or Knightley bloods were introduced. The herd was dispersed in 1863, at which time it aggregated 134 head, including sixteen Mysies, ten Lovelys and nine Waterloos, be- sides a lot of Claras, Rosemarys, etc. The event occurred Wednesday, July 29, Mr. Straf- ford presiding. Messrs. Cruickshank bought the eleven-year-old red Mysie 3d at 50 guineas, Mysie 26th at 21 guineas, Princess Royal 5th at 46 guineas and Lovely 8th at 41 guineas. Mr. Marr of Uppermill bought Princess Royal 6th for 24 guineas. William Duthie bought a pair of Wanton heifers at 17 and 20 guineas. The SCOTLAND'S SEARCHING TEST. 575 Duke of Richmond made a number of pur- chases and one of the Waterloos was bought by Col. Pennant of Penrhyn Castle, Wales, at 51 guineas. The highest price was 64 guineas, given by Mr. Wilson of Bray ton for the heifer Waterloo 21st. CHAPTER XIX. AMOS CKUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. To Ketton, Kirklevington, Killerby and Ayles- by we have now to add the name of Sittyton, Mr. Bates, the elder Booth and William Tori did not survive to witness the crowning show- yard and sale-ring triumphs of their favorites. Amos Cruickshank,."the herdsman of Aber- deenshire," more fortunate in that respect than the great English breed-builders, lived to re- ceive recognition both at home and abroad as one of the few great constructive breeders of Short-horn history. An inspiring story this of Sittyton. Not a legend of Aladdin and his lamp, but a plain, unvarnished tale of patient, persistent, unfaltering pursuit of an ideal fol- lowed over all obstacles to the goal of final and complete success. Born in 1808 and reared in the County of Aberdeen, entering the ranks of the tenant- farmers of the district at the period of greatest activity and progress in the development of the modern agriculture of the North ; engaging in the very thick of the fight for leadership in the work of evolving a type of cattle suited to the (5761 AMOS OKUICKSHANK OF SITT^TON, AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 577 exacting requirements of his native heath; competing with a class of farmers probably un- matched in all the world in respect to the in- telligence and skill with which they manage their lands and live stock; leaving all beaten tracks and marking out a distinctive policy of his own; loyally supported in his task by an enterprising brother-partner, the life and work of Amos Cruickshank looms up above all con- temporary effort in the North of Scotland even as Ben Nevis dominates in majesty the moun- tain wilderness of the West. A new type sought.— Amos Cruickshank was a man with a well-defined purpose. Firm as a rock in his convictions, steadfast to the end in maintaining his views, he recognized no test of value in cattle save that of demonstrated ability to turn straw, turnips and "cake" into pounds, shillings and pence at a profit. Beauty was to his severely practical eye but skin-deep at best. Of itself it paid no rent. He never allowed himself, therefore, in making his selec- tions of breeding stock to lose his heart or head to any beast, be it ever so " bonny," if it had only graceful outlines or mere "sweetness" of character to recommend it. The Cruickshank creed demanded first of all "a good middle." The signs of constitution and digestive capacity in cattle present their most visible manifestations in the body rather 37 578 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. than in the extremities. Vitality and feeding quality were with Amos Cruickshank consid- erations paramount. A broad, full chest, wide back and deep ribs were his all-in-all. The head had attention only as it gave some token as to the vigor or probable capacity of the ani- mal for feed-lot or reproductive purposes. The rump carried cheap meat and was, in his view, of wholly secondary importance. Level quar- ters and fine fronts he fully appreciated, but if the "middle" was weak the fault with him was fatal. While not opposed to "finish," and fully sensible of the value of "style/7 he took the ground that, from the tenant-farmer's view- point, if other and more vital qualifications were wanting the Short-horn could not hope to withstand the ordeals of the climate of North Scotland or satisfy the close calculations of feeders who wrested their forage from an unwilling soil. As for pedigree he had originally imbibed something of the same contempt felt by Ren- nie of Phantassie and Robertson of Ladykirk. When in quest of stock to suit his purpose his mind was an open book so far as the great rival strains of blood were concerned. The names of Bates, Booth, Towneley, or Torr moved him to no expression of mere sentimen- tal regard for the stock of the English leaders. He listened with comparative indifference to AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 579 the story of the Duchesses and viewed with equanimity the rising reputation of Warlaby. Cool and calculating, deliberate always, never carried off his feet by the currents of fashion that whirled round about the Short-horn breeders of his time, it was with him always and for- ever a question only of "what is best for our country, our agriculture, our people?" And so he started out on the indifferent soil of Sittyton of Straloch to rear a class of cattle that should meet the Scottish want. Untrammeled by prejudices, unmoved by the gongs and cymbals of those who were attracting the attention of the majority of his contemporaries, this silent man of destiny, keeping his own counsel, re- served and retiring beyond all his colleagues; honest, faithful, upright and inflexible in his service in behalf of Northern agriculture, pur- sued the even tenor of his way, often discour- aged but never despairing, seeking in every nook and corner of the United Kingdom for material likely to aid in developing his herd; testing first one blood and then another, until finally a blade was found that cut the Gordian knot for him and Scotland. While the Sittyton herd was progressing to its apotheosis it had the service of a succes- sion of distinguished sires and show bulls. It has been said that Mr. Cruickshank did not participate in th^ "wild hurrah" for "fashion- 580 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. able" blood, because of the proverbial Scottish prudence; that is to say because he wa,s aot en- terprising enough to relax the partnership purse strings for the purpose of securing specimens of the prevailing popular sorts. This is alto- gether lacking in truth. For years the breed- ing farms and National show-yards of England, Scotland and Ireland were visited in quest of such material as approximated the Sittyton ideal. There was nothing niggardly in a policy that dictated the payment of $2,000 for individ- ual bulls and nothing narrow in the plans that finally brought the herd to a total of over 300 head of registered cattle — the largest in all Britain. The brothers Cruickshank.— Amos and An- thony Cruickshank, who were jointly interested in the breeding operations carried on at Sitty- ton, were born and reared on a farm near the little village of Inverurie, some fifteen miles northwest of the Aberdonian capital. Amos, retiring by nature and preferring the peace and quiet of rural scenes to the bustle of shops and streets, devoted his attention wholly to agricultural pursuits. Anthony decided to en- gage in trade at Aberdeen, where he succeeded in establishing a good business and subsequent- ly acquired considerable local prominence in commercial and banking circles. He was a man of great energy and public spirit, and AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 581 while the credit for the development of the Sittyton Short-horns must be rested primarily upon the sound judgment and practical sense of Amos, still it must not be forgotten that it was largely through the determination of An- thony that such vigorous and persistent efforts were made for so many years in the matter of foundation stock. It was in a little back room at Anthony Cruickshank's place of busi- ness in the city of Aberdeen that the idea of the Royal Northern Show was first conceived. Barclay of Ury, Grant Duff and other kindred spirits were called in conference and the result of their deliberations was the establishment of that afterward useful agricultural show associ- ation. The Sittyton Short-horns were for a long series of years exhibited at the leading Scottish National and local shows, winning their way to great public favor and general patronage. Anthony with his commercial instincts was anxious to secure a reputation for the partner- ship herd. He favored all schemes looking toward the bringing of the Sittyton Short-horns prominently before the public. He served, there- fore, as an efficient " promoter." Amos soon de- veloped a genius for practical cattle-breeding. Quick to detect faults he never allowed an un- satisfactory sire to remain long in the herd no matter at what cost a bull might have been 582 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. placed in service. Philosophical always he re- marked after having lost the $2,000 purchase, Master Butterfly 2d, shortly after his arrival at Sittyton: " It is the best thing that could have happened, for he would only have done mis- chief in the herd. He hasn't died a day too soon." He was not the man to "enthuse" over any beast, no matter how great its reputation or its cost, unless he thought he could see some indications that it would prove useful in devel- oping the type of cattle sought. The brothers therefore proved each useful to the other. To- gether they gave the world one of its greatest and most valuable herds.* *" The two brothers made an excellent combination, but in some ways were very unlike. Anthony was the keener, brighter, more intellectual spirit of the two. He had a fine rich voice and dark bright eyes, the sparkle of which denoted a high degree of intelligence. Amos was stouter built, of a quieter and more phlegmatic type. The one was always ready to con- verse; the other was of the silent sort. No interviewer or newspaper cor- respondent could make any thing of Amos; even the genial 'Druid' failed to draw him. Anthony would discuss the merits of an animal in detail, be it Short-horn or Clydesdale, and give a reason for the faith that was in him; but it required almost a surgical operation to get any deliverance on the subject from Amos. 'A good beast' or ' Not a good beast ' was about all you might expect. Anthony attended to the herd-book entries, the adver- tising and cataloguing of the stock, and, I believe, named all the animals, but the practical management of the farms and herd devolved, of course, on his brother. In their numerous purchases of stock Anthony looked much to show-yard reputation and pedigree, Amos almost entirely to the personal appearance of the animal itself, and he had his own notions of what constituted a good sort. 'I had often great battles,' he told me, ' with Anthony about the bulls we were to use. A vast deal of money was spent in the purchase of animals that did no good whatever/ Amos did not bother much with the herd book, and I am told could seldom be got to look at it. In this respect, I believe, he resembled Richard Booth, Wilkinson of Lenton and many other noted breeders. His brother's object in a large measure was to make the undertaking a commercial success. He studied what would attract and please his customers. Amos, on the other hand, had the eye of a breeder and strove to get his animals of the type that pleased himself. He seemed to have an intuitive knowledge cf what con- AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 588 Anthony Cruickshank died in 1879 at the age of sixty-six years. Amos lived to be eighty-seven years of age, passing from the scene of his long and useful life at Sittyton May 27, 1895, the herd having been closed out at private sale as an entirety in 1889. Like many other of the most noted Short-horn breeders of the century he never married. He was wedded only to the herd that received for such an extended period his most earnest thought and devoted attention. A devout Quaker he carried into his daily life the sim- ple, upright, kindly teachings of his faith. It stituted a good beast and the development of that which is known as the Cruickshank type of Short-horn I believe to have been almost entirely due to Amos. " His success as a breeder was no doubt due to the patient, persevering nature of the man, his innate turn for the pursuit, and also, perhaps, in some degree to the fact that he was totally devoid of any sentimental no- tions about 'blood' and pedigree. He looked at the animal squarely as it stood before him; if it did not come up to his standard it mattered not what the pedigree was or who the breeder. I remember visiting him on one occa- sion shortly after the arrival of some cows from a distant herd, which had been taken in exchange for an equal number from Sittyton. They had splendid pedigrees of great length, with Roan Duchesses and I know not what, all running back to Frederick, Belvedere and many a far-famed sire, but they lacked the substance, flesh and hair which Amos loved. As he pointed them out he could not conceal his dissatisfaction. Not one of them would please him. I ventured to remark that some of them looked to be milky. 'They may have some milk,' said he, gloomily, 'but that is about the only good thing about them.' Long experience and observation had made him a very thorough judge. For half a century he had watched over a herd of Short-horns which for many years was the largest in the king- dom, and which sent out animals that have made the fortunes of many other herds, not only in this country but in other lands. He enjoyed a long, healthy life, due partly to his good constitution and also to his regular, tem- perate habits. Notwithstanding his great age his mind remained wonder- fully clear to the very last. He was a type of character rarely met with nowadays; so free from all vanity, affectation and humbug, so unpretend- ing, simple and true. As some one well said, ' There was only one Amos Cruickshank and he is gone.' "-T. F. Jamieson in London (Eng.) Live-Stock Journal. 584 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. is indeed not recorded that he ever spoke ill of any man. Given little to speech it was with difficulty that even his best friends could draw him out. The house in which he lived and died at Sittyton was a modest one, as befitted the character of its tenant. He was very fond of his shrubbery, vines and flowers, and here, far removed from "the madding crowd," he worked out in his own original way the great problem that confronted the cattle-growers of his time in the North of Scotland. The farm of Sittyton. — The farm upon which the Messrs. Cruickshank began their breeding operations is situated about twelve miles north- west of the granite city of Aberdeen. From the roadway leading to this, the foremost nur- sery of Scotch-bred Short-horns, one may catch upon the east glimpses of the German Ocean and toward the west, when the air is clear, the outlines of the distant Grampians. It consists of about two hundred and sixty acres, consti- tuting a part of the estate known as Straloch, It has no natural advantages adapting it to successful cattle-breeding from the standpoint of those accustomed to the fertile and well- sheltered farms abounding everywhere in Eng- land and America. When Amos Cruickshank took possession in 1837, at the age of twenty- nine years, the land was in poor condition and stood greatly in need of buildings, as well as AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 585 drainage, but he went to work with a will; the necessary improvements were provided and an immediate start was made with Short- horns. Some ten years later the herd had in- creased to proportions that made it necessary to take a lease of the neighboring farm of Clyne, rendering about five hundred acres of land available. This sufficed for a time, but the breeding operations were carried forward on such an extensive scale that it was found desirable to increase the holding still further by leasing another adjacent tract of about one hundred and thirty acres, known as Longside. Still their ambition was unsatisfied, and in 1855 the brothers obtained control of the fine farm known as Mains of Udny, some five miles distant, bringing the total area under their control up to 900 acres. The herd at- tained a membership of more than three hundred head during the period of its greatest expansion, say between the years of 1860 and 1870, and a lease of the small tract known locally as Middleton gave them possession of fully 1,000 acres. About 1873 the lease of Longside terminated and a few years later that of Mains of Udny, necessitating a large reduction of the herd. In the latter years of Mr. Cruickshank's life he was tenant of about 600 acres, the herd numbering at the time the last complete catalogue was issued 1 20 head . 586 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. General plan pursued. — Briefly stated, the methods of the Messrs. Cruickshank did not differ materially from those of the elder Booth. Bates proceeded on the theory that a combina- tion of certain bloods must necessarily produce the type he sought. Thomas Booth and Amos Cruickshank worked for type alone, utilizing at first any good material attracting their at- tention and finally "fixing" the desired con- formation by resort to in-and-in breeding. In the purchase of the foundation cows and heif- ers for Sittyton choice was usually made of those that seemed to possess good constitutions and an aptitude to fatten. If milking qualities were shown that point was also prized at its full value. Cattle were draw7 n from widely separated sources, and while Mr. Cruickshank endeavored to adhere to one general ideal as closely as possible, he was unable to collect a cow herd which in point of uniform excellence would satisfy his aspirations. Realizing that the bull was the key to the situation, greater attention was bestowed upon the selection of sires than upon choice of females. Beginning with bulls bought from Capt. Barclay, no stone was left unturned for a quarter of a century to obtain for service at Sittyton stock bulls of the very highest order of merit. In the course of that time nearly every leading herd and every important show-yard in the Kingdom was AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 587 visited in quest of sires of the desired type. In this search no attempt was made at confin- ing selections to any particular line of blood. It was a question not of descent but of type. It was not until after 1860 that the policy of purchasing bulls for service was modified. Up to that time, notwithstanding the fact that a remarkable succession of noted bulls had seen service in the herd,* that uniformity in essential characteristics which Mr. Cruickshank so earnestly desired had not been attained. When, therefore, the get of the home-bred bull Champion of England (17526) made their appearance the whole policy was changed and a system of inbreeding begun. His stock ap- proached closely the Sittyton idea of what a North of Scotland Short-horn ought to be, and for generations afterward the best of his sons, grandsons and great-grandsons were kept in service. From that time forward im- provement in the matter of uniformity was rapid. Latterly the stock bulls were all bred upon the farm; the size of the herd and the * McCombie in his interesting little volume on " Cattle and Cattle-Breed- ers" says: "Foremost among eminent breeders of Short-horns in the North at the present time are the Messrs. Cruickshank, Sittyton. Their fame is European; they own the largest herds of Short-horns in the world. It is only necessary to name Fairfax Royal, Prince Edward Fairfax, Velvet Jacket, Matadore, Lord Sackville, The Baron by Baron Warlaby, Master Butterfly 2d, John Bull, Lancaster Comet, Lord Raglan, Ivanhoe, Lord Garlies, Malachite, Windsor Augustus, Sir James the Rose and last, though not least, Forth, to show the distinguished position their herd has taken. Suffice it to say that no other breeder of Short-horns can claim having owned such an array of first-class bulls." 588 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. great variety of blood represented in it en- abling Mr. Cruickshank to carry on his process of concentration for many years with little danger of deterioration. To undertake an enumeration of all the vari- ous purchases made for the herd would be a useless task. Sittyton was represented for a long series of years at every auction sale of any consequence in Great Britain, and many animals from many different herds and of vari- ous lines of breeding were bought. Some of these gave satisfaction and some did not. We need allude here only to such as left some im- press on the herd. The first of the Violets.— It was in 1837 that Amos Cruickshank laid the foundation for the Sittyton Herd. In that year he made a pil- grimage to the South in quest of Short-horns, proceeding as far as the County of Durham, England. With characteristic caution he re- turned to the North with but a solitary heifer as the fruit of his travels. The following year he again visited England and secured about a dozen heifers. These are said to have been bought from a Mr. George Williamson of North Lincolnshire, and one of them, Moss Rose, be- came the maternal ancestress of a family after- ward famous at Sittyton as the Violets. In 1843 Moss Rose produced to a service by the Ury bull Inkhorn a dark-roan heifer that was AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 589 named Red Rose, that became the dam of the beautiful cow Carmine Rose, by Fairfax Royal, which, bred to the bull Hudson (9228), dropped China Rose, whence came Roseate, by Mata- dore, the dam of the great roan Violet, by Lord Bathhurst (13173). Violet proved an extraor- dinary breeder and her name was given to the females tracing descent in their maternal line from her. She was the dam of the grand cow Village Rose, by Champion of England ; the prize-winning Sweet Violet, by Lord Stanley, and Red Violet, by Allan, and of the roan stock bull Grand Monarque (21867), by Champion of England. Venus tribe. — This sort at Sittyton was orig- inally derived from a red heifer bought at a sale held by Mr. Rennie of Kinblethmont, For- farshire, who was said to have been a brother of Rennie of Phantassie. This was in 1841. Venus was out of a cow called Dairymaid, bred from the stock of Robertson of Ladykirk. It is stated that the immediate descendants of Venus were "real good milkers, but rather rough and bare of flesh." Later on, however, they acquired the valuable general characteris- tics of the best Sittyton stock, those descending through Flora, by Fairfax Royal, and her grand- daughter. Morning Star by Champion of Eng- land, being perhaps the most highly prized. The bull Beeswing (12456), sold to Campbell of 590 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Kinellar, was a son of Flora. The Venus fam- ily was retained until the final dispersion of the herd. The family of Mimulus. — A good Short-horn cow was bought in 1841 from the Rev. Robert Douglas of the parish of Ellon, not far from Sittyton. The minister was engaged in farm- ing and had the reputation of being a first-class judge. The cow in question had been bred by John Rennie of Phantassie from a Ladykirk foundation. At Sittyton she was bred to Ink- horn and produced the heifer Phantassie, which in turn left the heifer Maidstone, by Matadore. The latter to a service by Lord Raglan pro- duced Mistletoe, that was the dam of the ex- traordinary red cow Mimulus, by Champion of England. This cow was sold to Hon. John Dryden of Canada, after having produced at Sittyton the bull calf that subsequently devel- oped into the great bull Royal Duke of Gloster (29864), the sire of such bulls as Roan Gauntlet (35284), Barmpton (37763), Grand Vizier (34086) and Privy Seal (50168); and such cows as Cus- tard, the dam of Cumberland, Souvenir, Silvia, Lavender 17th, Garnish and Violet Queen. In Canada Mimulus became the darn of the famous bull Barmpton Hero that did splendid service up to the age of fifteen years, contributing many thick-fleshed, compactly-fashioned cattle of the real Aberdeenshire type to various AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 591 American breeding and show-yard herds. The family of Mimulus was never numerous at Sit- tyton and exerted its influence upon the herd mainly through Royal Duke of Gloster. Picotee and her progeny.— In 1841 a cow called Sunflower, descended from Phantassie and Ladykirk blood, was bought from James Walker. She produced two heifers, one -of which, Picotee, gave rise to a numerous and valuable family. Indeed Picotee herself at ten years of age was one of the first-prize pair of cows at Aberdeen in 1855. From her descend- ed Joyful 2d, a first-prize heifer at the Royal Northern of 1862; the handsome red cow Flor- ence Nightingale, by The Baron; the great roan Village Belle and the red British Queen, both by Champion of England. The Matchless sort. — A heifer called Pre- mium, sired by George (2057) and in calf to the Bates-bred Holker (4051), was bought from Grant Duff in 1841. To the Holker service she produced the heifer Matchless, considered one of the best of her day in the herd and winner of first prize at a Highland Show at Dundee. She proved the first of a noted race of cows bearing her name, besides contributing through her daughter Kindly a family of "Ks," of which Kindness and Kindred were early representa- tives. This tribe was closed out in the reduc- tion of the herd in 1876. 592 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. The Broadhooks.— Eliza, by White Bull (5643), a heifer that was an own sister to the celebrated Buchan Hero (3238), was bought from Hutcheson of Monyruy, and produced sev- eral good bulls besides founding an excellent family of cows known as the Broadhooks that disappeared from the herd about 1870. Eliza went back to the old Ladykirk stock. This Broadhooks tribe was the same as that con- tained in the herd of Lord Lovat at Beaufort, that produced the champion bull New Year's Gift (57796). Origin of the Lady tribe. — Always on the lookout for a good one, Mr. Cruickshank saw and admired at the Edinburgh Show of 1842 the two-year-old heifer Amelia, that had suc- ceeded in getting into the prize-list not only at Edinburgh but at Berwick. From Amelia came one of the best of the earlier Cruickshank tribes, known as the " Ladys." Writing of these a correspondent of the Banff shire Journal in 1864 said: "The most remarkable descendant of Amelia is Grand Lady, out of Lady Louisa and sired by Lord Sackville (13249). Grand Lady is worthy of her name. She is a beauti- ful roan and the very perfection of symmetry." The Nonpareils. — A good red cow, called Nonpareil 3d, came into the herd in 1844 from the stock of Mr. Cartwright of Lincolnshire. She proved a fortunate investment and gave AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 593 rise to the Sittyton Nonpareils that acquired much celebrity throughout the Northern Coun- ties. Several of the family were disposed of at from 100 to 200 guineas each. Nonpareil 16th of this line was a first-prize heifer at Aberdeen in 1855. The demand for females of this sort was extensive. Many were parted with and some of the Nonpareils proved persistent bull breeders; hence it came about that much to the regret of the Messrs. Cruickshank the orig- inal line disappeared from the herd about the year 1864. A few years later the cow Non- pareil 12th was bought at Mr. Cartwright's dis- persion sale, but as a breeder she did not prove as successful as the first purchase. Sittyton Butterflys. — Upon the occasion of the dispersion of Capt. Barclay's herd at Ury in 1847 Messrs. Cruickshank improved the op- portunity for making additions to their stock. The first bulls used at Sittyton were of Ury ex- traction, and a number of females of Barclay breeding were now secured. Among these were Clara, by Mahomed, and Strawberry, by 2d Duke of Northumberland. Although it is stated that Strawberry was not so good an in- dividual as Clara she produced at Sittyton the famous bull Pro Bono Publico, that was sold to Lord Clancarty and after a noted career as a prize-taker in Ireland was shown with suc- cess at the Paris Exposition of 1856. Strawber- 594 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. ry's daughter Bounty, by The Pacha, dropped the splendid cow Buttercup, by Report (10704), and she in turn produced the stock bull Baro- net (16614). From her also was derived a great set of cows known as the Butterflys, that proved prolific breeders of the right sort of stock. In- deed Buttercup was called one of the very finest cows ever seen at Sittyton. She was a red, with an exceptionally strong back and rib, and all of. her immediate descendants were similarly distinguished. Butterfly 1st carried the High- land Society's first prize in 1856, and Butterfly 4th was first at the Royal Northern in 1862. The original Butterfly, by Matadore, was de- scribed as "a deep-ribbed rather high-standing red cow." She proved long-lived and produced many calves, among others two bulls that saw some service in the herd; to-wit., Lord Byron (24363) and Royal Forth (25022). Butterfly 9th of this family produced the red bull Breadal- bane (28073), by Champion of England, that was used for a time by Mr. Cruickshank and imported into Canada in 1871 by H. Thompson. The Ury cow Clara, above mentioned, became the dam of the heifer Barcliana that produced the noted roan stock bull Lord Sackville (13249). Another one of the Barclay cows, Emily, left a number of descendants at Sitty- ton, one of which, Lucy, by The Baron, pro- duced the bull Lord Chamberlain used in the AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 595 herd in 1864, and also the bull Lord Lyons, bought by Mr. Marr of Uppermill at the sale of that year for 76 guineas. Orange Blossoms. — This tribe, which has to its credit the highest-priced Cruickshank cow ever sold in America; to-wit., Orange Blossom 18th at $3,500, descends from the roan cow Fancy, by Billy (3151), obtained in 1847 from Hutcheson of Monyruy. Fancy's dam, Jessie, had been purchased by Hutcheson from Rennie of Kinblethmont, going back to the old Lady- kirk foundation. Fancy did so well at Sitty- ton that her daughter, Edith Fairfax, was also bought from Hutcheson in 1851. She was one of the two calves sired by the noted Sir Thomas Fairfax (5196), that died at Hutcheson's. From Edith Fairfax some splendid Short-horns were bred at Sittyton, among others Queen of Scot- land, by Matadore, whose daughter, Queen of the South, was one of the greatest cows of her day in all Scotland. She was a roan of splen- did flesh and substance, and as a yearling won first prize at the Iloyal Northern of 1862, be- sides the Formartine Society's medal as the best animal in the yard. From Queen of Scot- land was also bred the original Orange Blos- som, by Doctor Buckingham (14405), one of whose daughters, Orange Blossom 2d, became one of the acknowledged queens of the herd. From this family also came the roan Delight, 596 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. dam of the bull Diphthong, first-prize winner at Aberdeen in 1862 and 1863 and challenge- cup winner at the Royal Northern. From this sort, also, sprang one of the greatest of all the latter-day Scottish sires, William of Orange, so celebrated in the herd of Mr. Marr of Uppermill. Admah, Kilmeny 3d, and Eliza by Brutus. — Cows introduced into the herd in the early "fifties" that had descendants upon the farm for many years were Admah, by Fitz Adolphus Fairfax; Kilmeny 3d, by Robin o' Day, and Eliza, by Brutus. The first-named came from Hutcheson and was out of a cow by Richard Booth's Fitz Leonard that had been on hire two seasons at Monyruy. Her grandam had been bought from Rennie of Kinblethmont. From Admah came Aroma, by Matadore, whose daughter Oakleaf, by The Baron, produced the bull Royal Oak (22792), by Champion of Eng- land, that saw some service at Sittyton. Kil- meny 3d came from Grant Duff's, and her de- scendants were maintained in the herd for some years. Eliza, by Brutus, a red cow bought from Mr. Cochrane of Glasgow Forest, acquired distinction as the dam of Emily, by Lord Sack- ville, that produced the stock bull Caesar Au- gustus (25704). Eliza was descended from the stock of Ben Wilson of Brawith. Clipper tribe. — By the year 1852 the number of females at Sittyton exceeded 100 head, but AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 597 still the quest for good material went on. Dur- ing that year there was bought from Mr. Bos- well of Kingcausie, near Aberdeen, two cows that exerted, perhaps, a greater influence upon the fortunes of the herd than any other. These were Verdant and Clipper. The first named became the grandam of the celebrated Cham- pion of England and will be referred to further on in connection with the appearance of that epoch-making sire. Clipper, by the Barclay bull Billy (3151), was a light- roan cow, not very large, "slightly hol- low in the back, but very fleshy and of great substance." She was seven years old when she came to Sittyton, and was descended from a sort that had been in Mr. BoswelFs hands for several generations, tracing her maternal de- scent from the Chilton herd of Mr. Mason. It is worthy of note that she continued to breed until fifteen years of age and produced her best- heifer, Cressida, by John Bull (11618), in her fourteenth year. To the cover of The Czar (20947) Cressida produced the good red-and- white cow Carmine, whose daughters by Cham- pion of England — Princess Royal and Carmine Rose — proved mines of bovine wealth. Indeed this pair did much toward convincing Mr. Cruickshank that in Champion of England he had found the sire he long had sought. Jamie- son of Ellon tells us that in her day Carmine 598 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Rose was considered the best combination of beef and milk in the entire herd ; that " her bag would have excited the cupidity of a Lon- don dairyman/' and of the same extraordinary pattern was her daughter Cochineal, which, bred to Princess Royal's great son Roan Gaunt- let (35284), produced the massive Cayhurst (47560), used by Mr. Duthie, sold to Mr. Jamie- son, and eventually passing to Mr. Sutton-Nel- thorpe of Lincolnshire. Princess Royal is said to have been a grand, big roan, but not so great a dairy cow as her sister Carmine Rose. As a breeder her influ- ence in the herd was felt for generations. She became the dam of the four fine cows Custard, Claret, Crocus and Chrysanthemum, besides giving birth to the renowned Roan Gauntlet, one of the most famous of all Sittyton sires. Custard was a heifer of rare beauty from the beginning, neat, but not large, and produced the two bulls Cumberland (46144) and Commo- dore (54118). She was specially strong in her hind quarters, a characteristic that was inher- ited by Cumberland, a bull that was extensively used by Mr. Cruickshank in his later years. Commodore grew into a bull that was the ad- miration of his time, but unfortunately after having been used for a short period with great success died at sea en route for South America. Claret carried the size and substance of her AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 599 mother, but produced only two calves, one of which was the fine sire Clear-the-Way (47604), used at Cairnbrogie and by Bruce of Inverqu- homery. The table-backed white Chrysanthe- mum, that became the property of Mr. William Duthie of Collynie on the final sale of the herd, was the dam of the massive bull Chamberlain (60461), that passed into the possession of Mr. Philo L. Mills of Ruddington Hall. All in all it is doubtful if Sittyton ever produced a greater breeding cow than Princess Royal! From this same Clipper foundation came Mr. Duthie's prize bull Pride of Morning (64546). The Victorias.— The first of this Mason-bred tribe to enter the Cruickshank herd was Victo- ria 19th, by Lord John (11731), that was bid off by Anthony Cruickshank at the sale of Mr. Holmes of Westmeath, Ireland. Although full of the best English blood she lacked the sub-' stance which Mr. Amos Cruickshank had inva- riably insisted upon. On her arrival in Scot- land she was sent to Mr. Hay's at Shethin to be bulled by the Booth-bred Red Knight (11976), and to this service produced the twin heifers Victoria 29th and 30th. It is said that the for- mer "had weak loins and was not good; the latter much better, but left no female stock." The dam was called delicate and the sort showed no special merit at Sittyton until crossed with Champion of England. That 600 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. great sire seemed to bring them out. Victo- ria 39th, by that bull, was a good one and bred on to old age. Her heifer Victoria 41st, by Lord Privy Seal, was of the right stamp and a good breeder, producing the thick Victoria 57th and the good stock bull Ventriloquist (44180). The family improved with age under Mr. Cruickshank's skillful crossing, and Victoria 48th, by Lord Lancaster, a cow of marked merit, produced Royal Victor (43792), that be- came the sire of Gravesend (46461). Of this tribe also was the bull Vermont (47193), that did good service in the herd of Mr. Campbell of Kinellar, and Deane Willis' 500-guinea prize bull Count Victor (66877).* The Sittyton Victorias imported to America have proved among the most valuable Scotch- bred Short-horns that ever crossed the Atlan- tic. The first to come out was the roan Victo- ria 51st, by Royal Duke of Gloster (29864), im- ported by Mr. Davis Lowman of Toulon, 111., in * Although the Victorias had a pedigree running back to " the beautiful Lady Maynard " of Charles Ceiling's herd the original females of this fam- ily at Sittyton were not well liked by Amos Cruickshank. The old Scot's Boswell, Mr. Jamieson, says: "I remember passing through the byres at Sittyton one (Jay many years ago when we came upon a roan cow. ' This,' said Mr. Cruickshank, 'is a Victoria; my brother thinks a great deal of them.' With characteristic reticence he said nothing as to his own opinion, but I gathered from the tone that it was not quite so favorable. It was not until their constitution had been renovated by one or two crosses of Cham- pion of England blood that any bulls of the tribe were kept for service in the herd." Latterly, however, the original defects were quite bred out and the substance, flesh and feeding quality for which Sittyton finally became so famous was impressed upon the Victorias in common with the other leading Cruickshank tribes AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF 8ITTYTON. 601 1876. From this cow some of the very best Cruickshank cattle ever seen in Western show- yards and breeding herds have descended. Probably the greatest success, however, ever scored by the tribe in North America was through the extraordinary record of imp. Baron Victor (45944), a son of Victoria 58th, as a bull-getter in the fine herd of Col. W. A. Harris, Linwood, Kan. The Lancasters. — Three capital cows were bought at the sale from the fine old herd of Wilkinson of Lenton in 1854 — Lancaster 16th, Pomp and Roman 9th. Lancaster 16th pro- duced the good bull Lord Bathurst (13173), that was sold from the herd before his value was realized. She was one of the first-prize pair of cows at the Royal Northern of 1856 and for one of her descendants, the handsome Lan- caster 25th, Mr. Barclay of Keavil gave 150 guineas. "She proved in calf at the time to Mr. Cruickshank's Lord Raglan (13244), and in April, 1862, gave birth to three heifer calves, two of which, Anne and Mary of Lancaster, won prizes at Kelso as yearlings. The latter subsequently became the dam of imp. Baron Booth of Lancaster 7535, whose remarkable in- fluence in America in the herd of Hon. J..H. Pickrell has already been commented upon in these pages. Mr. Cruickshank had one weak- ness. He would occasionally put his best cat- 602 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. tie in price to wealthy patrons. Tempting offers induced him to part with the best of these three Wilkinson cows — Roman 9th. The Lancasters also got away from him, so that after a few years he had nothing left from his judicious Lenton purchase. The Brawith Buds. — This celebrated Cruick- shank family comes from the cow Pure Gold, descended from the famous Brawith Bud al- ready mentioned in connection with the opera- tions of Mr. Grant Duff of Eden. Pure Gold cost Messrs. Cruickshank 90 guineas at five years old at the Eden sale of 1854. Old Bra- with Bud had cost 160 guineas in 1841 and pro- duced calves until eighteen years of age, dur- ing all that period maintaining perfect health.. Amos Cruickshank considered her one of the most remarkable cows he had ever seen. Pure Gold was often exhibited, and carried home to Sittyton many first prizes from Aberdeen. Like her maternal ancestress she lived to a good old age, in fact was the senior matron of the herd for many years. Pure Gold's daughter Golden Days, a great milker and grand breeder, sustained the repu- tation of her family for longevity. She gave to the herd the three fine bulls Golden Rule, by Champion of England; the prize bull Pride of the Isles, by Scotland's Pride, and Lord of the Isles, by same sire. Pride of the Isles was chief AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 603 stock bull at Sittyton for a number of years, leaving a most valuable progeny, including such bulls as Cumberland (46144), Athabasca (47359) and Shapinshay (45581). Lord of the Isles was sold to Bruce of Inverquhomery, but was afterward bought back because of the great service rendered by his brother. One daughter of Golden Days, named Golden Morn, was bought by Mr. Jamieson of Ellon and in his hands developed into an excellent breeder. She was quite a dairy cow. Another heifer from Golden Days retained by Mr. Cruickshank was Golden Year. True to the traditions of her tribe she rounded out a long life of useful- ness in the herd. Among the most famous of the Brawith Bud cows maybe mentioned Gilli- ver, Garnish, Godiva and Glowworm; the line that gave rise to Roan Robin (57992), Gondo- mar (55821), Gondolier (52950), Wanderer (60138) and other noted sires. It is stated that the original Brawith Bud cows at Sittyton, while presenting a satisfac- tory broadside view, were somewhat lacking in spread of rib, which characteristic was not wholly corrected until the days of Champion of England. That they possessed remarkable con- stitutions, however, is clearly apparent. They were developed into great flesh-carriers as well as good milkers and did much toward estab- lishing the name and fame of Sittyton, 604 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Duchesses of Gloster. — This sort, like the Victorian, owed its excellence at Sittyton to the skill and judgment of Amos Cruickshank. Although, like the Victorias, they were de- scended originally from a very celebrated Eng- lish cow; yet the female that brought the blood of Magdalena, by Comet — the only cow that Charles Colling reserved at the time of the Ketton dispersion — to the Cruickshank herd was not herself an animal of special su- periority. The blood was acquired by purchase of a cow called Chance, by Duke of Gloster (11382), bred by Earl Ducie and bought in 1855 from a Mr. Robinson of Burton-on-Trent, who had obtained her from Tortworth. She is said to have been somewhat wanting in constitu- tion and her first heifers produced only two or three calves each. Her descendants were named Duchesses of Gloster, and the first good one of the line is said to have been the 7th Duchess, sired by Lord Raglan. She had five calves by Champion of England that measured well up to Mr. Cruickshank's standard. In fact, the Lord Raglan Duchesses of Glosters seemed to "nick" particularly well with the Champion. It was this blending of blood that produced the very handsome and thoroughly satisfactory breeding bull Grand Duke of Glos- ter (26288). This bull perhaps resembled Champion of England more than any other of AMOS CRUICKSHANK OP SITTYTON. 605 his sons ; unfortunately, however, he broke a leg as the result of an accident at two years old, leaving but few calves, all of which were of pronounced merit. Among them was Royal Duke of Gloster (29864), that was not only a bull of superb individual merit, but proved one of the most valuable sires ever used in the herd. Mr. Cruickshank always considered that his loss of Grand Duke of Gloster was almost irreparable. The Duchess of Gloster sort was not largely represented in the herd toward the last, but at different times has thrown some of the most perfect specimens of the real Cruickshank type. The Secrets. — Another one of Anthony Cruickshank's purchases was the cow Sympa- thy, bought at Mr. Tanqueray's sale at Hendon, along with the bull The Baron (13833), in 1855. She represented the Bates line of breeding and was got by the Duchess bull Duke of Athol (10150). She was in calf to The Baron at the time of purchase and produced to that service the heifer Sunrise. Sympathy afterward pro- duced two heifers, Splendor and Splendid, by Lord Sackville (13249). While Sympathy and Sunrise were rather deficient in substance the Lord Sackville heifers were full of it. Mr. Cruickshank retained at Sittyton only the de- scendants of this robust pair. The sort proved 606 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. prolific and constituted quite a feature of the herd up to the very last. Probably one of the best of the Secret cows was Surname, dam of the successful Collynie stock bull Scottish Archer (59883). None of the Secret bulls were used at Sittyton. The Cicely sort. — In 1860 there was bought from Mr. Morrison of Bognie an evenly-built, low-legged, level-fleshed red cow, with white marks, called Crocus, sired by Jemmy (11611). She was bred to Lancaster Royal (18167), of the Wilkinson Lancaster sort, and produced the heifer Cicely, that became the ancestress of some of the grandest cows Mr. Cruickshank ever bred, including Courtesy by Scotland's Pride; Campion by Roan Gauntlet, Circassia by Champion of England, Cornucopia by Grand Vizier and Corolla by Feudal Chief. Those who were familiar with the herd in its prime have always asserted that Courtesy and Cam- pion were among the greatest cows ever pro- duced upon the farm, possessing splendid sub- stance and great scale. Mr. Deane Willis' fine show heifer Cactus is of Cicely descent. The Cicelys trace on the dam's side to the cow Premium, by George (2057), that was bought by Mr. Cruickshank from Grant Duff in 1841 ; so that they are of kindred origin with the Matchless sort already mentioned. Avalanche. — Contemporary with Crocus was AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTTTON. 607 the cow Avalanche, bought as a yearling at the sale of Mr. Budding of Panton in 1860. She was a roan, sired by the closely-bred Booth bull Sir Samuel, and, although not particularly strong as an individual, she left a heifer in the herd, Anemone, by the prize bull Forth (17866), that was fruitful of good results. Bred to the Champion of England bull Csesar Augustus (25704), Anemone produced Azalea, the mother of the great Field Marshal (47870)— undoubt- edly the grandest of all the latter-day Cruick- shank bulls. She was also the dam of the good sire Athabasca (47359), used with success by Mr. Marr at Uppermill. Alma, a granddaugh- ter of Anemone, was one of the best cows pro- duced by the Avalanche tribe ; acquiring con- siderable renown in the herd of Mr. Mitchell. No bulls of this tribe were tried by Mr. Cruick- shank. Violette. — A rather plain-looking cow of this name, that produced valuable stock when crossed with Cruickshank bulls, was bought in 1860 at the sale of her breeder, Mr. Morrison of Montcoffer. Mated with Champion of Eng- land she gave birth to three capital daughters, known as Violante, Finella and Victorine. To Grand Monarque she produced Vellum. Vio- lante was a noble cow and bred until fifteen years of age. Vellum produced the bull Privy Seal (50268), that proved useful in the herd of 608 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Bruce of Inverquhomery. These daughters of Violette were among the best cows of their time at Sittyton. The Lovelys. — As already stated in our ref- erences to Mr. Hay of Shethin this Sittyton sort was derived from the two good cows Lovely 6th and Lovely 8th, bought at the Shethin sale of 1863. The family came orig- inally from the beautiful cow Marion, by An- thony (1640), that had been bought in England from Mr. Lovell of Edgcott. Bred to Grand Monarque (21867) Lovely 8th gave the Messrs. Cruickshank one of the bulls that made their reputation — Scotland's Pride (25100). She also left the handsome cow Lovely 9th, which, bred to Champion of. England, produced Lord Lancaster (26666), also used in the herd. The Lovelys were prime favorites with Mr. Cruick- shank, and he also put in service the bull Lord Lansdowne (29128), a grandson of Lovely 6th. Barmpton Roses. — The Sittyton branch of this renowned English show-yard tribe de- scended from Butterfly's Pride obtained from Col. Towneley in 1864. She was sired by the champion show bull Royal Butterfly (16862), and at the time of her purchase was in calf to the Bates Duchess bull 2d Duke of Wharfdale (19649). The produce was a heifer, Butterfly's Joy, that was scarcely up to the family stand- ard. The astonishing success of Towneley's AMOS CRTJICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 609 great herd manager, Joseph Culshaw, with the Barmpton Roses in the great show-yards of England, Scotland and Ireland, as well as at the Paris Exposition of 1856, seemed to have been due largely to the successful "nick" of Booth blood, and that of the bull Frederick (11489), with the Barmpton Rose base.* At any rate the Bates cross, as represented by Butterfly's Joy at Sittyton, did not seem to produce equal results ; but a dash of the blood *The author regrets that Towneley has not that close identification with American Short-horn breeding operations which has made it neces- sary to discuss at such length various other British herds. Those who write specially for English readers certainly have in Culshaw a character unique in Short-horn history, and in his beauteous Butterflys and regal Roan Duchesses an inspiration that should tempt the dullest pen to flights rhetorical. While the subject is of only collateral interest to America the Short-horn breeding world claims the name and fame of Towneley as a part of the common heritage. A few of the main facts relating to the herd may therefore be here recorded. The West of England, like the North of Scotland, developed some great herdsmen. There is nothing like having to overcome obstacles to build up mental power. The County of Lancaster is noted for its manufacturing rather than for its agricultural interests. It has within its borders those great emporiums of trade the cities of Liverpool and Manchester. Col. Towneley 's home farm adjoined Burnley, one of the smaller, but none the less busy, Lancastrian centers of industry. The soil was cold and sour. Grain rarely ripened and roots gave up in disgust. The land was imper- vious to drainage on account of its stiff clay subsoil; moreover it was en- croached upon by the Burnley factories and shops, and the smoke and gases from the furnaces destroyed much of the vegetation. Science could avail little against such conditions so far as farming operations were con- cerned. Nevertheless a Short-horn herd, probably the peer of any that has ever existed elsewhere, was here developed. Not many leagues to the north was Holker Hall, where the Duke of Devonshire also scored a bril- liant success. It is worthy of note, however, that Culshaw came before the birth of the Butterflys and that Drewry preceded the Grand Duchesses of Oxford. It was in 1848 that Col. Towneley got through that rare judge Mr. East- wood of Whitewell, in the Valley of the Hodder, the twenty head of cattle that brought him fame imperishable. At the sale of Henry Watson East- wood had bought the fine cow Buttercup, " a sort of yellow-red, and like Hubback in her flecks," a daughter of the celebrated Barmpton Rose. The 610 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. of the great North-country show bull Forth, through his son Allan (21172), seemed to bring back much of the beauty of the sort as dis- played at Towneley. Bred to the bull last latter was bred by Mr. Waldy of Barmpton, near Darlington. She was full of Robert Colllng's old Red Rose blood, and was a heavy-bodied, broad- ribbed, deep-milking strawberry roan. " He whom the gods call Culshaw, And men on earth call ' Joe,' " was under " Tom " Mason at Sir Charles Tempest's when Barmpton Rose was brought from the Walkeringham sale to Broughton Hall, and her buxom beauty made a deep impression upon the "future great" trainer and breeder. When a mere lad Culshaw betrayed an irrepressible enthu- siasm for the "red. white and roans." Upon one occasion he was sent with a cow that was to be bred to a bull at Whitaker's, and the brightness of the boy and his interest in the cattle so attracted the attention of the proprietor that he personally showed the youthful ambassador through the Greenholme Herd in detail. That was indeed a great day for " little Joe." Would that all of those who have such opportunities would evince the same disposition to encourage young men who manifest a love for good cattle! Col. Towneley was a man of great wealth and many acres and engaged Eastwood as his general manager. The latter was fond of Kilierby and its Short-horns, and after buying Buttercup hired from John Booth the bull Jeweler (10354), son of Necklace, " a short bull with a bad head and a light neck, but with capital sides and quality." Buttercup, served by this bull and weak from an attack of " foot-and-mouth," and her half-sister Bessie, another daughter of Barmpton Rose, in calf to Lax's Duke (9032), were in- cluded in the lot that went to Towneley in 1848. The former dropped But- terfly and the latter the great stock bull Frederick (11489)— the pair from whence came those show-yard monarchs Master Butterfly (13311) and Royal Butterfly (16862). After having served a long apprenticeship under Mason at Sir Charles Tempest's Culshaw was hired by Col. Towneley in 1849. He had been with Mr. Ambler, the breeder of the celebrated Grand Turk (12969), for the pre- vious eighteen months, and while there had taken Senator to the Royal and defeated Mr. Bates' 2d and 3d Dukes of Oxford. Jeweler went with the Eastwood cows to Towneley, and soon afterward the Booth-bred Lord George (10439)— son of Birthday and sire of 2d Duke of Athol in the Airdrie Duchess pedigree — followed. The opportunity that Culshaw had so long desired was now presented. He had under his control at Towneley a rare good lot of cows selected by Mr. Eastwood and Mr. Straff ord. He was keen to try conclusions with the best breeders and fitters of the realm at a time when show-yard enthusiasm had been fanned into a fierce flame largely through the triumphs of the Booths. With the active sympathy and support of his employers Culshaw charged the entire line of opposition with one of the most admirably AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 611 named Butterfly's Joy produced the good cow Barmpton Flower, which, mated with Royal Duke of Gloster, gave Mr. Cruickshank the ex- cellent stock bull Barmpton (37763), famous throughout America as the sire of imp. Baron brought out collections of Short-horns the world has ever seen. Butterfly herself opened the ball, and with her rich loins, beautiful bosom and won- derful quality walked through the show-rings of her time almost without defeat. She had six living calves, and after her frame was bent with age produced Royal Butterfly that was seen as late as in his thirteenth year at the National Show at Manchester. He was a noble, thick-fleshed roan with wonderful thighs. It was in 1853 that Butterfly gave birth to the world- famous roan Master Butterfly. After winning firsts and championships over all Britain, and heading the great Gold Medal herd shown at the Paris Exposition of 1856, he was sold at the then extraordinary price of 1,200 guineas for export to Australia. Beauty's Butterfly was one of the most noted of the winners and after gaining Royal honors, won at the London Sm..thfield Pat-Stock Show, and returned to fresh triumphs in the breeding rings the following year, earning for Culshaw a characteristic recognition from Punch in verse under the heading "Joe's Lament." Space will not ad- mit of our recording here even the names, much less the winnings, of the Towneley cattle. From the years 1850 to 1864 they were constantly seen at the leading exhibitions of England, Scotland and Ireland, winning upward of $10,000 in cash besides twenty-two challenge cups. Culshaw was not only the prince of all "trainers" of his time, but had most extraordinary success in holding his show cows to their work as breeders. Richard Gibson, who knew him well, submits the following tribute: "Mr. Culshaw was one whose name will be identified with Short-horns long after many of his contemporaries are forgotten. Of a quiet, unobtrusive temperament' still he had a forceful manner; his word was trusted, but in his strong provincial dialect he had more power with which to express himself than had he been loaded to the muzzle with Latin and Greek. Of him it is said that his equal had never been who could keep on showing successfully and have his show cattle breed regularly and keep on producing winners. He graduated from a good school, his father being employed at Sir C. Temp- est's, and under Tom Mason he and his half-brother, George Moore (still at Holker), made for themselves reputations that will be ever green. Moreover, from the same school was sent forth James Knowles, whose name was so intimately connected with the herds of Lord Ducie and of Col. Gunter." A second herd was begun by Col. Towneley shortly after the dispersion of the original stock in 1864. Some of the Butterfly cows were bought back, but Bates blood predominated. Royal Butterfly had been reserved at the closing-out sale at an upset price of 1,200 guineas. The Bates-bred Baron Oxford, however, was the principal sire used in the second herd. Some Oxford females were also added. The show-yards were again invaded and daughters of Baron Oxford were winners at the Manchester, Oxford and 612 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Victor, the bull that fairly made the herd of Col. W. A. Harris of Linwood. An own sister to Barmpton Flower, known as Butterfly's Delight, produced the bull Barmpton Prince (32995), by Viceroy, that was chosen for ser- vice in the herd. He had to be sent to the butcher, however, at an early age as the result of a broken leg, and left but few calves, all of excellent character. Mr. Cruickshank earn- estly desired to introduce the Barmpton Rose blood into the herd, and used another bull from Butterfly's Joy, known as Ben Wyvis (30528). The Spicys. — There was bought from Mr, Milne of Kinaldie, Aberdeenshire, in 1868, a cow known as Spicy 4th. She was a daughter Cardiff Royals from 1869 to 1872. The second herd was closed out in 1873 at high prices, as noted in a previous chapter. Col. Towneley received some great prices for his pets at private treaty. Douglas of Athelstaneford gave 500 guineas for Ringlet, that became the dam of his 500-guinea Queen of Athelstane. For Frederica and Lalla Rookh Mr. Thorne paid 700 guineas. The former had been the first-prize yearling at the Lewes Royal, but was accidentally killed at sea. The great Towne- ley sale of fifty-six head, of which twenty-eight were Barmpton Roses, proved one of the most memorable in English Short-horn history. A com- pany of not less than 3,000 persons assembled and competition for the best lots was active between the best breeders of the Kingdom. Royal Butter- fly's Duchess fetched £500 and the bull Royal Butterfly llth £400 from the agent of Sir William Sterling Maxwell for his Scottish herd at Keir to take the place of Forth that had been sold to Messrs. Cruickshank. The general average of the sale was £128. The Towneley Butterflys were specially distinguished for their fine style, finish, quality and long, level quarters. While somewhat on the up- standing order, they were of a substantial mold, possessing gay carriage and stepped like "hunters." All hands at Towneley were fond of a good horse. Kettledrum, a Derby winner, and the "king bull" of his day, Royal Butterfly, were in the Towne- ley stables at the same date. Eastwood and Culshaw owned Butterfly, winner of The Oaks and other races, adding to the herdsman's bank ac- count not less than $10,000. "Joe" had named the filly "after 'tauld coo." AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 613 of a cow that had been brought from the herd of Mr. Harvey Combe of Cobham Park, Surrey, Eng., who had obtained the family originally from the Earl of Carlisle. Spicy, by Marma- duke (14897), the cow taken from Surrey to Aberdeen by Mr. Milne, had the reputation of being an extra good one. At Sittyton her daughter Spicy 4th, bred to Champion of England, gave birth to the fine cow Silvery, the ancestress of an excellent, although not numerous, family. To this source the bulls Strongbow (52230) and Sea King (61769) traced their maternal origin. Strongbow was used two seasons by Mr. Cruickshank, and one of his get — the bull Norseman (56233) — entered the herd of Her Majesty Queen Victoria at Windsor. Of this same sort also was the roan Spicy Robin (69638), the pick of the Deane Willis bulls of 1895 and sold at twelve months old for 250 guineas. The Lavenders. — Mr. Cruickshank always regretted having parted with the Wilkinson cows previously mentioned in our references to the Lancaster family, and he made repeated efforts to recover some of the original Lenton blood, for which he had the highest respect. Some difficulty was met with, however, in again acquiring satisfactory representatives of that notfed Nottingham herd. A few of the Hebes were finally obtained from Messrs. Dud- 614 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. ding of Pan ton, but they proved unsatisfactory and were soon disposed of. From a Mr. Harris of Worcestershire a Lenton Lady and a Lancas- ter were then obtained, but they also proved disappointing. It was not until 1870 that the original Lenton threads were gathered up suc- cessfully. In that year some Lavenders were obtained from Mr. Butler of Badminton, who had purchased the matron of the family in his hands from a Mr. Logan of Newport, Ireland, who had got the blood direct from Wilkinson. Mr. Cruickshank bought these Butler cows solely on account of their Lenton origin, in spite of the fact that the intervening crosses had materially modified the original type. At first they did not promise the desired results, but after being subjected to several infusions of Sittyton blood they began to justify his faith. It is stated that Lavender 16th, by Lord Lansdowne, and Lavender 17th, by Royal Duke of Gloster, and their descendants were much the best of the tribe. Lavender 17th was con- sidered the best heifer of her year in the herd and matured into one of the great cows of her time. Lavender 16th possessed great scale and produced many calves, among others the bull Feudal Chief (51251), used in the herd at the very close of its career. Some of the best Cruickshank females we have had in America were of this Lavender family, and it AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 615 has to its credit in recent years in England the production of Mr. Deane Willis7 Royal prize- winning bull Count Lavender (60545). First Sittyton bulls.— The first Sittyton sires came from Barclay of Ury. While the founda- tions were being laid cows and heifers were in many cases sent to be bred to bulls on neigh- boring farms. Notably that of James Walker of Wester Fintray, afterward wTell known in the Aberdeen-Angus trade. Walker liked a good Short-horn, and among the Wester Fin- tray bulls patronized by Mr. Cruickshank were General Picton (3876) and Sovereign (7539). The first Barclay bull purchased was the white Inkhorn (6091), whose name was derived from the farm from whence he came. Barclay, like Robertson and Rennie in the South, had been somewhat indifferent in reference to herd book registration. Inkhorn traced on his dam's side to the best English foundations, as set forth in the herd book, but his sire is not given. The bull calves Chancellor (5850) and Premier (6308), both bred by Capt. Barclay and both by Mahomed (6170), were next purchased. Pre- mier, out of the cow Mary Anne by Sillery, was retained, and Chancellor sold to Mr. Bruce of Heatherwick. The latter, however, turned out to be the better bull. Then came Con- queror (6884), bought as an aged bull. He was also of Ury blood and by Mahomed. 616 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Fairfax Royal (6987),— The first of the long line of distinguished bulls used at Sittyton was Fairfax Royal (6987), a rich dark roan, bred by William Torr. He was bought in 1845 as a two-year-old for 150 guineas at a sale made by Mr. Watson of Walkeringham, who had given 100 guineas for him as a calf. According to all the accounts that have been handed down con- cerning the earlier Sittyton stock, and judging by the illustration in Vol. VI Coates' Herd Book, Fairfax Royal was a bull of outstanding merit, full of substance, flesh and hair. He was sired by Lord Adolphus Fairfax (4249) out of Fair Rosamond, and was a prime favorite with Amos Cruickshank. He was a first-prize bull at Aberdeen in 1847, and in the opinion of those who knew the best of the North Scottish bulls, ranked with the famous Forth as one of the best bulls ever owned in Aberdeen- shire. Jamieson states that his heifers had this peculiarity that many of them would not breed until three years old, but when once started bred regularly and well. Several, how- ever, were sold fat to the butcher before this was discovered. The same authority says: "I remember having seen the cow Carmine Rose, by Fairfax Royal, whose name appears in the pedigree of the Violet family. She was a grand beast, very fat and had been put to the plow for awhile to get her to breed." AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 617 Hudson (9228), Report (10704) and Velvet Jacket (10998).— At the English Royal Show of 1848 the first-prize bull in the class for yearlings was Hudson (9228), bred by W. Lin- ton of Sheriff Hutton, Yorkshire. Being in need of a bull Amos Cruickshank went to see him and although not particularly impressed bought him — it is stated because he could not suit himself better at the time — for use at Sit- tyton. Hudson was a yellow-red, somewhat lacking in scale, but possessed of exceptional quality, and won second at a Royal Northern Show. He was kept in service two years and two of his daughters, both possessing his golden skin and quality, were retained for breeding purposes. One of these was China Rose out of the Violet cow Carmine Rose above mentioned. Resort was next had to the herd of S. Wiley of Brandsby, from whom was hired the roan bull Report (10704), described as "neat and compact, but smallish; and chiefly remembered as the sire of a remarkably fine cow, Buttercup, which had both substance and style in an unu- sual degree." Fair success seems to have at- tended the use of the Wiley bull. The roan Velvet Jacket (10998), bred by Mr. Un thank, was bought in 1850 from Douglas of Athelstaneford, whose East Lothian herd had leaped into fame as a result of some remarka- ble show-yard victories. Bred to Rose of Au- 618 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. tumn, one of the greatest of the Douglas cows, Velvet Jacket sired the celebrated Rose of Summer. Before she was developed, however, Amos Cruickshank offered Douglas £50 for the bull, which was accepted and he went to Sitty- ton. It is said that "Amos considered him a good-looking beast, but happening soon after to see his dam he thought her so very bad that he sold Velvet Jacket at the first opportunity." What few calves he sired while in the herd made no special mark. He was winner of first prizes at the Highland, Royal Northern and Royal Dublin Shows. Matadore (11800).— None of the earlier Sit- tyton sires proved of more practical worth than the dark-roan Matadore (11800). At the time he was introduced into the herd the females numbered about 120 head. This was in 1853. Matadore was bred by Mr. W. Smith of West Rasen, Lincolnshire, Eng., and was an own brother in blood to one of the most valuable cows ever imported into America; to- wit., the red-roan Mazurka for which Mr. Alexander paid $3,050. Both were out of the fine cow Moselle, by Baron of Ravens worth (7811); and both were sired by Booth bulls — Mazurka, by Harbinger (10297), and Matadore, by Hope- well (10332). Mr. Cruickshank purchased from Mr. Smith at the same time another son of Hopewell, called Bushranger (11228), and AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 619 thought the latter rather the better of the two. He practically failed to breed, however, and was soon turned off. Matadore is said to have been a bull of fine quality, with a capital skin and hair and strong in the loin; his fault being some little lack of width through the chest. He responded read- ily to feed, and had been first at the Yorkshire Show of 1851 as a yearling. He was first at the Highland Show at Perth in 1852 as a two- year-old and first at the Royal Northern of 1853. He was used in the herd for four years with much success. He was specially distin- guished as a bull-getter; his sons used in other Scottish herds giving the best of satisfaction and doing much toward establishing the repu- tation of Sittyton. Among these were Mag- num Bonum (13277), used by the Duke of Rich- mond; Pro Bono Publico (13528), sold to Lord Clancarty of Ireland; Prince of Coburg (15100); Goldfinder (14629); Beeswing (12456), the first noted bull used by Campbell of Kinellar; De- fender (12867), the first Cruickshank bull sold for export to America (see page 279); and Lord Sackville (13249), that was the first home-bred bull except Prince Edward Fairfax retained for service by Mr. Cruickshank. Lord Sackville was a roan of great constitu- tion, possessing the same great back and loin that distinguished both Matadore and Mazurka. 620 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. It was the cross of Lord Sackville upon the Secret cows that first brought that sort up to the Sittyton standard. A portrait of Matadore will be found in Vol. X of Coates' Herd Book. Plantagenet (11906).— This red-and-white bull, bred by Col. Towneley, had been bought as a calf by Douglas of Athelstaneford, who sold him to Mr. Cruickshank as a yearling in 1852. He was sired by Duke of Lancaster (10929) — bred by Mr. Eastwood and got by Lax's Duke (9032), sire of Towneley's famous Frederick (11489) — out of Madeline,, bred by John Booth of Killerby. Plantagenet was shown at Aberdeen as a yearling, winning first prize, but died after one year's service at Sitty- ton. He was the sire of the twin heifer calves Virtue and Verdure, that became the dams of two of the greatest bulls ever known in Scot- land—Virtue producing, to a service by Lan- caster Comet (11663), the most renowned of all Cruickshank bulls Champion of England (17526). Her sister, Verdure, bred to The Baron (13833), dropped Scarlet Velvet (16916), a very stylish bull that had a successful career in the herd of Mr. Campbell. It is stated that Mr. Cruickshank did not credit Plantagenet very largely in connection with the production of Champion of England, that honor being at- tributed rather to Lancaster Comet. Virtue and Verdure and another Plantagenet cow AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 621 Sharon's Rose, were all good milkers but rather plain in appearance. Doctor Buckingham (14405).— This red bull was a pure Booth, bred by Ambler, and sired by Hopewell (10332) out of the Warlaby- bred Bloom. He cost Messrs. Cruickshank 400 guineas. Much difficulty was experienced in getting him to serve properly and after a short time he was sold to Mr. R. A. Alex- ander, who imported him to Kentucky. He figures in Mr. Cruickshank's operations mainly as the sire of the first of the Sittyton Orange Blossoms. The Baron (13833),— At Mr. Tanqueray's sale at Hendon, near London, in 1855 Mr. An- thony Cruickshank purchased for 400 guineas the two-year-old red bull The Baron (13833), that had been bred by Mr. Richard Chaloner of Ireland. He was sired by Baron Warlaby (7813) out of Bon Bon, of Earl Spencer's breeding. As a yearling he had headed his class at Dublin and in Scotland was one of the notable win- ners at the Highland and Royal Shows of 1854, 1855 and 1856. He was described as very neat in his quarters, but rather lacking in mascu- line character. In spite of this fact, however, he proved a very prolific and, as was thought at the time, a very successful sire, especially of heifers; his get showing more style and finish than had yet been seen in the herd. His bulls 622 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. generally lacked substance, although Scarlet Velvet and Magnus Troil constituted excep- tions to this rule. The Baron was used for six or seven years, and his heifers grew into very handsome cows up to about five years of age, but after that seemed to lose "bloom" and a number of them showed signs of disease. They were, for the most part, indifferent milkers, and few of them lived to be more than seven or eight years old. Speaking of this Jamieson says: "There was evidently a want of constitution about The Baron, but it must have been many years be- fore suspicion arose that he was doing mischief in the herd, for several bulls out of cows sired by The Baron were kept for service. None of them, however, proved a success and gradually The Baron blood was well cleared out. Only two of his own sons seem to have been used as stock bulls; namely, Baronet (1614) and Lancaster Royal (18167). Baronet was out of an extra good cow, Buttercup, and was used for two or three seasons. He had more sub- stance and less style than The Baron, was sound and robust and proved to be a useful sire. Lancaster Royal was kept because he was from a Lancaster cow whose dam came from Wilkinson of Lenton. He was little used, but sired the good cow Cicely, whose descend- ants formed one of the best families at Sitty- AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 623 ton in the latter years of the herd's exist- ence." Lord Bathurst (15173).— This bull was dropped at Sittyton July 5, 1854, by the Wil- kinson cow Lancaster 16th, that had been bought at the Lenton sale the previous year in calf to Monarch (13347). He was one of three yearling bulls exhibited by Messrs. Cruickshank at Aberdeen in 1855 that won first, second and third prizes, the latter position being assigned to this Lancaster calf. Although the Wilkin- son sort was held in high esteem at Sittyton a red breeding bull was wanted just at this time, and as Lord Bathurst was roan and had inher- ited white legs from his dam he was sold to Mr. Stronach of Ardmeallie, in wrhose hands he proved a remarkable getter. He met with an accident, however, and had to be killed after one season's use. Before leaving Sittyton he had been bred to several heifers and two of his females, Violet and Vintage, grew into good cows and were excellent breeders. Violet pro- duced Grand Monarque (21867), a stock-getter of outstanding merit, and also Village Rose, that was in all probability about the best cow the Cruickshanks ever bred. Vintage was the dam of Village Belle. It has always been con- sidered that Village Rose and Village Belle were the two best of all the great cows sired by Champion of England. 40 624 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Master Butterfly 2d (14918).— This was a son of Col. Towneley's champion bull Master Butterfly (13311), that was sold to go to Aus- tralia for 1,200 guineas after having headed the Towneley herd at the National Showrs of Great Britain and at the International Exposition at Paris in 1856. His dam was the show cow Vestris 2d. He had been bought by Mr. Mar- joribanks at twelve months old for 300 guineas, and at his sale in 1856 was purchased for Sitty- ton at 400 guineas. The purchase of this bull doubtless reflected Mr. Anthony Cruickshank's desire to profit by the advertising involved in the ownership of a high-priced son of the greatest English show bull of his time. Amos, however, never liked him and upon the bull's death some twelve months after his purchase remarked that the beast had not died any too soon. It is stated that what few calves he sired at Sittyton were "light-made, light-fleshed, too leggy and never had carcass enough." We be- lieve the only one of the Sittyton pedigrees in which this bull's name appears in recent years is one branch of the Victorias. John Bull (11618),— From the foregoing it will be observed that the Messrs. Cruickshank were inclined to test all of the leading bloods of the period; and as they had been well pleased with the use of the Wiley bull Report, already mentioned, they now went to Brandsby AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 625 for another sire; purchasing in 1858 John Bull (11618). He is said to have been an animal of great length and rather high on leg.* It is in- teresting to note as evidencing the intent of Mr. Cruickshank to weed out mercilessly every- thing that did not suit, that only two of John Bull's calves were ^retained. These were the cows Cressida and Jubilee, "both compact, deep, well-proportioned cows, not at all too long, and real good beasts." Lord Raglan (13244),— This noted bull came to Sittyton at seven years of age, in 1860, and was used until twelve years old. He was bred by Mark Stewart of Southwick and sired by Maynard's Crusade (7938). He had been used by Douglas of Athelstaneford, as well as by Lord Kinnaird and Lord Southesk. He was purchased from the latter at 110 guineas. It is of interest to state that Mr. William Miller, then of Canada and later of Storm Lake, la., came near buying Lord Raglan in 1856f and * Speaking of John Bull, Jamieson says: "He was a very lengthy ani- mal, not too well let down, tender on his feet and walked very slow. A worthy neighbor, Mr. Phillip of Boynds, watching him on one occasion as he gradually emerged out of a door said: ' If I am to wait until all of your bull comes out, Mr. Cruickshank, I would need a chair to sit doon on.' " tMr. Miller, who was in Great Britain in 1856 buying Short-horns, says: " This was the time that I ought to have sent out Lord Raglan before Cruickshank got him. Simon Beattie and I went to Southwick to see him, but Stewart priced him just high enough to keep him out of my reach. I got within £5, but although Simon was pushing me I dare not go it. How- ever, I have no doubt the bull did a lot more good as it was. Of all the bulls I saw in Britain at that time I preferred Lord Raglan. I think he was priced to me at about £100. He was then tw<5 years old and impressed me as being one of the substantial rather than the showy sort." 626 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. never ceased to regret that he did not trans- fer the bull to America. Lord Raglan grew into "a large, stylish, rather highstanding bull, fertile as a yearling, quite useless as a two-year-old and unusually prolific ever after. In outward appearance he took after his sire, Crusade, whom Douglas considered the best bull of his day in England." He was a Highland winner in the hands of Lord Kinnaird in 1857 and on being taken North to Sittyton in 1860 was the Challenge Cup winner at the Royal Northern and first at the Perth Highland of 1861. Probably the two best indi- vidual cows among his get at Sittyton were Butterfly 5th and The Gem. His most valuable daughter, however, proved to be Golden Days, "possibly the best milker of her time in the herd. She left a valuable progeny, including the prize bull Pride of the Isles (35072), and lived to be one of the oldest cows of the herd. The Czar (20947). This was the best of the Lord Raglan bulls and saw considerable service at Sittyton. He was a red, " compact and well set on his legs," and sired Carmine, a thick- fleshed, well-haired cow, with extraordinary back and ribs, that produced the famous Prin- cess Royal already described. Mr. Cruickshank is quoted as saying that he did not reap as much benefit from the use of Lord Raglan as he had anticipated. Notwithstanding this fact AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 627 some of his very best cattle, including Grand Duke of Gloster (26288), Pride of the Isles (35072), Bridesman (30586) and the handsome Mimulus were bred from Lord Raglan cows. Lancaster Comet (11663). — Mr. Cruickshank had long been partial to the stock of Wilkinson of Lenton. We have already noted his efforts at introducing the blood through the Lancas- ters and Lavenders. Robert Bruce relates that in speaking of his first visit to Lenton to in- spect Mr. Wilkinson's herd Mr. Cruickshank said : " After seeing the cattle I was so excited that when I tried to write to Anthony at night I could not use a pen. I had to write with a pencil." This little incident proves two things. First, the fact that in spite of his habitual self- control Amos Cruickshank possessed a quiet en- thusiasm capable of being thoroughly aroused. It indicates also that there was something in the Wilkinson stock not found in other con- temporary herds. In fact the Lenton blood alone seems to have been the subject of Mr. Cruickshank's steadfast devotion. In the autumn of 1858 it was thought desira- ble to purchase a stock bull for use at Sittyton. A good young red one was desired at that time. Mr. Cruickshank wrote to Wilkinson, inquiring if he could furnish such a bull. He replied that he could not, but recommended old Lancaster Comet (11663), then in his eighth year, which 628 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. he offered to sell at a nominal price. After first examining the herds of Mark Stewart, S. E. Bolden, Richard Booth, Col. Towneley and Messrs. Dudding without success Mr. Cruick- shank wrote to Wilkinson that he might ship Lancaster Comet. He was forwarded to Sitty- ton in November, 1858. Mr. Cruickshank went to the station to meet the bull, and his first glimpse of "his great head and horns lowering upon him over the side of the truck" caused him to turn away in disappointment. Lancas- ter Comet had a large head, with horns of great length. They were well enough set onto the head and curved toward the front. They were not very thick, nor were they pointed at the tips, being more uniform in thickness from base to point than is ordinarily observed. One sarcastic neighbor, of the type often present upon such occasions, remarked: "If he wanted a Highland bull he might have got one nearer home." Notwithstanding the horns, however, Lancaster Comet was a good bull. He stood near to the ground, had a beautiful coat of hair, a round barrel, straight top and bottom lines, level quarters, nicely -filled thighs, car- ried plenty of flesh and was active on his feet. In size he was about medium. He had been a great favorite with Mr. Wilkinson and was somewhat inbred, both his sire — The Queen's Roan (7389) — and dam having been got by the AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 629 same bull, the roan Will Honeycomb (5660), illustrated in Vol. IV, Coates' Herd Book; a bull that was bred by Mr. J. Beetham of West Harlsey, near Northallerton, and used by Mr. Wilkinson for some years. Lancaster Comet was scarcely as massive as Mr. Cruickshank would have liked and was rel- egated to the Clyne farm, it is said, "to hide his horns." The following spring he was turned into a pasture along with a lot of cows that had not settled to the bulls by which they had been served. He ran out quite late in the field that fall and contracted rheumatism so severely that it became necessary to send him to the shambles. Not more than a dozen calves are known to have been sired by him at Sitty- ton, perhaps a half a dozen of each sex. None of the females were retained. One of them called Camelia made a fine yearling and two- year-old, but was disappointing ai? full matur- ity. One of the bulls, recorded as Moonshade (18419), was bought by Bruce of Inverquhom- ery. Another that attracted no special notice for a time was retained by Mr. Cruickshank under the name of Champion of England (17526). Lancaster Comet had cost but 30 guineas, but so far-reaching was his influence upon the herd, as exerted through the bull just mentioned, that the history of the Cruickshank cattle naturally divides itself into two epochs, 630 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. one dealing with the period before his intro- duction and the other a record of what followed after that date. Champion of England (17526), — From the foundation of the herd in 1837 down to 1860 it had been with Amos Cruickshank one long, con- tinuous and but partially successful search for the type of cattle he so earnestly desired. Dur- ing that time great numbers of cows, heifers and bulls had been bought from the best Scotch and English herds, but in spite of a long list of show-yard victories, and notwithstanding the production of at least an average percentage of good cattle, Amos Cruickshank's ideal had scarcely been realized. As yet there was a lack of uniformity in essential characteristics. Lancaster Comet, however, supplied, through Champion of England out of the cow Virtue by Plantagenet (11906), the means of correcting this fault. He was a roan, dropped Nov. 29, 1859, and although not a phenomenal calf at the start was deemed good enough to be sent to the Royal English Show at Leeds in 1861. Being a November calf he had to compete upon that occasion against two-year-olds, and as he was only a yearling he failed to secure a place. He was also shown at Aberdeen, but was only able to secure a third prize. On account of this non-success he came near being disposed of, but there was something about the young AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 631 bull's hair, quality and thrift that led Mr. Cruickshank to decide upon his retention for a time at least. The bull was particularly strong on his fore ribs, developed remarkable feeding quality and soon began to assume more mas- sive proportions than had been displayed by his sire. He was not so level in his quarters as Lancaster Comet, drooping a bit from the hips to the tail, a fault which he probably in- herited from his dam.* His calves soon evi- denced rare promise. They were robust, thick- fleshed, near to the ground and possessed a pro- pensity for putting on flesh such as had not been shown by the get of any of his predeces- sors in service. Mr. Cruickshank resolved to use him freely and not risk impairment of his usefulness by putting him in high condition for the shows. Meantime the settled policy of testing the best bulls obtainable from contem- porary stocks was not abandoned. Windsor Augustus (19157). — The selection of this roan bull represented another effort on the part of Messrs. Cruickshank to utilize Booth blood. Like the previous experiments, how- ever, in the same direction it did not altogether fulfil expectations. Windsor Augustus was *Mr. Jamieson writes: "I do not remember having1 seen the Cham- pion's dam, but one day when going1 through the byres with Amos Cruick- shank I asked him what like a beast she was. ' Well,' said he, ' she was very like that one,' pointing to a cow standing at the end of the byre. This was a good-sized red animal, with plainish hind quarters. Champion of England was never kept on account of the merits of his dam." 632 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. bred by Mr. Carr and sired by Richard Booth's Windsor (14013). He had been a winner at the leading English shows, and was one of th3 highest-priced bulls ever bought for service in the herd. He was used during the seasons of 1863 and 1864, but Amos Cruickshank never liked him and did nob retain many of his prog- eny. He left a few good things, nevertheless, including the fine cow Lovely 9th, that pro- duced to Champion of England the stock bull Lord Lancaster (26666). Forth (17866).— This famous bull was taken to Sittyton in 1864 at four years of age with the reputation of being "the grandest Short-horn of his time." He was a light roan, possessing great scale and substance, bred by Sir William Ster- ling Maxwell of Keir. He had been a cham- pion show bull at leading exhibitions both in England and Scotland, and while some doubt was felt as to his proving a breeder high hopes were entertained as to what he would accom- plish when mated with the "crack" cows of the Sittyton herd. There can be no doubt that he was individually the best bull ever bought for Sittyton. His portrait will be found in Vol. XVI of Coates' Herd Book. He was described as "a remarkably fine animal on a large scale, having length, breadth and depth to satisfy the most fastidious and was extremely good tem- pered. He had a good head, a full, placid eye, AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 633 a rich coat of hair, great girth of body, with ribs arching well out from his back. His horns were somewhat coarse." Forth remained in service until 1870 and notwithstanding his high condition left a large number of calves. While filling the eye much more perfectly than Cham- pion of England he did not approach the latter as a sire. Still he left some good stock, among others the cow Violet's Forth, that was im- ported to America arul shown with success in the Western States, as has been already noted. It was the exhibition of this cow that first drew prominent attention to Mr. Cruickshank's breeding in the United States. Viceroy (32764), by Champion of England out of Violet's Forth, was used a short time in the herd. Another of the Forth cows, Anemone, although not much to look at, was a capital breeder. Two sons of Forth bred at Sittyton, Royal Forth (25022) and Julius Caesar (26486), had a trial in service but did not give satisfaction and were sold. One of the best of his get, Lord Forth (26649), was used by Mr. Longmore of Rettie. Allan (21172), a red bull bred at Keir and sired by Forth prior to his purchase for Sitty- ton out of a cow of Knightley blood, was bought and used in the herd for three years with a good degree of success. Lord Privy Seal (16444).— In 1865 Anthony Cruickshank bought at a sale by Lord Kinnaird 634 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. the roan bull Lord Privy Seal. He was bred by the late Prince Consort at Windsor and was sired by the Booth bull Prince Alfred (13494) out of Cowslip by the famous show bull Belleville (6778). He was then in his seventh year, having been taken North as a yearling and bought by Lord Kinnaird in 1860. All hands at Sittyton were disappointed in the bull upon his arrival. He lacked size as well as flesh, and was not extensively used. Like most of his predecessors, however, he left a few good calves, such as the bull Multum in Parvo (26934), and the cow Victoria 41st, one of the best of her family and a fine breeder — the dam of the bull Ventriloquist (44180). Prince Alfred (27107).— In 1871 Mr. Pawlett offered to sell to Mr. Cruickshank Baron Killer- by (23364). Amos went to see him, but was more favorably impressed with one of his sons, Prince Alfred (27107), and wished to take him instead of the sire. Being unable to buy the young bull without taking them both, he closed a trade for the pair and shipped them to Sitty- ton. Baron Killerby was then six years old and possessed a bad temper. He was too heavy in the bone to suit Mr. Cruickshank, and was but little used. Prince Alfred was a young bull of much promise, but, as luck would have it, foot- and-mouth disease appeared in the herd not long after his purchase and he succumbed to AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 635 the malady. He was the only animal in the herd that was lost. This is rather a surprising fact in view of the the statement that Prince Alfred is said to have been of robust appear- ance and was thought to have capital constitu- tion. While no opportunity was had to breed any great number of cows to him, the heifers that he left in the herd indicate that his un- timely death was a severe loss. One of his daughters, Garnet, proved the ancestress of some of the best cows in the herd during its later years. Another, Alma, sold as a yearling to Mr. Mitchell, "developed most wonderfully and expanded into one of the largest and grandest cows that was ever seen, with im- mense loins and back and good shoulders. In- deed, as a show-yard animal, few cows ever bred at Sittyton would have been a match for her." She took first prize at the Highland Show of 1876, the cup at Aberdeen in 1879 as best breeding animal in the Short-horn class, besides many other honors. Other outside bulls. — Between the years 1866 and 1877, in addition to Baron Killerby and Prince Alfred, there was bought and tried in the herd the bulls Rob Roy (22740), Count Robert (30812), Scotch Rose (25099)~out of the famous Rosedale; Knight of the Whistle (26558), Master Darlington (37067), Meridian (38748), Ravenshope (22681), and General Wind- 636 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. sor (28701). None of these, however, gave as good satisfaction as the home-bred bulls used during the same period. Concentration of the Champion of England blood. — Writers of romance after following the fortunes of their heroes and heroines through various trials and tribulations to a point where all is joy and rapture usually dismiss them with the remark that "they lived happily ever after." It may almost be said of Amos Cruickshank that when he produced Champion of England, after twenty-five years of conscientious work, he was at the beginning of the end of his troubles as a Short-horn breeder. One after another of the sons and daughters of this, the greatest stock bull Scotland has ever known, grew up into cattle of the real rent-paying sort. Pages might be filled with the names, pedigrees and performances of his descendants in the show-yards and breeding-pens of Britain and America, but space will not here permit. Such cows as Village Belle, Village Rose, Princess Royal, Morning Star, British Queen, Carmine Rose, Silvery, Mimulus, Surmise, Circassia, Vio- lante, Finella and Victqrine would alone suffice to make the reputation of the most ambitious breeder. Not only were these and other of the best of the Champion's heifers retained for breeding purposes but his bulls were given a trial along with sires obtained from other herds. AMOS CB'OIOKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 637 It must be borne in mind that in resorting to bulls of his own breeding Mr. Cruickshank was contravening what had been the almost universal practice in Scotland. It is generally believed by those most familiar with his work that if he had begun placing his own bulls in service -many years earlier he would have more quickly realized his ambitions. It seems clear that the grand roan bull Lord Sackville (13249), mentioned on page 619, might have filled the place held later by Champion of England had he been given like opportunity; for he possessed such grand constitution, substance and quality, and with his limited opportunity wrought such an improvement on the Secrets and a few other Sittyton sorts that he would doubtless have made a great reputation' had he been more freely used. Longmore of Rettie is generally credited with having been the first of the North of Scotland breeders to place home-bred bulls in service. He was a man of rare intelligence, and although his herd was small as compared with that at Sittyton he met with marked suc- cess by his departure from the then prevailing usage, his stock possessing unusual size, flesh and real show-yard character. Experience had now taught Mr. Cruickshank the uncertainties attending the use of even the best individual bulls acquired from various sources and rep- resenting many diverse elements. With his 638 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. usual caution he felt his way slowly at first with the Champion of England bulls, but when once convinced that he was on the right track he pursued his plan to the end. Among the bulls chosen for the purpose of concentrating this blood may be mentioned the roan Caractacus (19397), a winner of chal- lenge cups at Aberdeen and Perth, that was calved in 1862 by Nonpareil 20th, a daugh- ter of The Baron; the roan Grand Monarque (21867), calved in 1863 by Violet by Lord Bath- urst; the roan Royal Oak (22792), dropped in 1864 by Oakleaf by The Baron; the red Prince Imperial (22595), calved in 1864 by Candia by The Baron; the red Lord Byron (24363), dropped in 1865 by Butterfly by Matadore; the red Caesar Augustus (25704), calved in 1867 by Emily, daughter of Lord Sackville; the roan Grand Duke of Gloster (26288), dropped in 1868 by 9th Duchess of Gloster, daughter of Lord Raglan; the roan Lord Lancaster (26666), of the crop of 1868, dropped by Lovely 9th by Windsor Au- gustus; the roan Master of Arts (26867), dropped same year by The Gem by Lord Raglan; and the roan Viceroy (32764), calved in 1871 by Violet's Forth, afterward a noted show c'ow in America. It does not appear that the bulls from cows by The Baron made any special impression on the herd. Those representing the cross of AMOS CRUICKSHANK OP SITTYTON. . 639 Champion of England upon cows carrying the blood of Lord Raglan, Lord Sackville and Lord Bathurst, including Grand Monarque, Caesar Augustus and Grand Duke of Gloster, were potent factors in bringing the herd to its best estate. Scotland's Pride and Pride of the Isles.— Scotland's Pride, calved in 1866, was sired by Grand Monarque out of Lovely 8th, a cow that belonged to a tribe much esteemed in the North. His sire, like many other of the sons of Champion of England, did not have a head entirely to Mr. Cruickshank's liking. This was a characteristic doubtless inherited from old Lancaster Comet, and on account of the clamor about his head and horns Grand Monarque was sacrificed before his real value as a stock-get- ter, as illustrated in Scotland's Pride, was fully realized. The latter was a stylish, deep-fleshed roan, winning first prize as a yearling at the Highland in 1867 and a $250 Challenge Cup same year. He proved one of the best sires ever 'bred at Sittyton; one of his sons, the roan prize bull Pride of the Isles (35072)- from Golden Days by Lord Raglan, calved in 1872, acquiring great celebrity. Speaking of this valuable bull Mr. Edward Cruickshank says: "I do not think that Pride of the Isles ever had his merit fairly recognized. He was a grand animal himself, and his young stock 640 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. looked well; but as cows they were such good milkers that they were never much to look at, although good breeders." An own brother to Pride of the Isles, known as Lord of the Isles, was also used in the herd. They were of the Bra with Bud or Pure Gold tribe. Caesar Augustus, — This good red bull, calved in 1867, joined the blood of the two grand bulls Champion of England and Lord Sackville, and became one of the most valuable sires and show bulls used in the herd. He was exhibited with great success, and some of his daughters proved among the most valuable breeding cows owned at Sittyton, among them being Azalea, the dam of Field Marshal. Royal Duke of Gloster. — This remarkably successful stock bull, a red, calved in 1870, was got by Grand Duke of Gloster out of Mimulus, a good cow descending in the maternal line from the stock of Rennie of Phantassie. He represented the strongest concentration of blood Mr. Cruickshank had up to that date used; both his sire and dam having been got by Champion of England out of Lord Raglan cows. As the sire of Roan Gauntlet and of the dam of Cumberland Royal Duke of Gloster ac- quired high rank in the great galaxy of Sitty- ton bulls. His sire, Grand Duke of Gloster, was considered the best of all of the sons of Cham- pion of England; inheriting in a remarkable AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 641 degree his robust constitution, thrift and thick- ness of flesh. Unfortunately the Grand Duke met with an accident which resulted in his death as a two-year-old. Roan Gauntlet. — The mating of the inbred Eoyal Duke of Gloster with the Champion of England cow Princess Royal resulted in the production in 1873 of the most famous of all the latter-day Sittyton stock bulls, Roan Gaunt- let (35284). A glance at the subjoined tabula- tion will be of interest: { Champion of England {9th Di ter, by Lord Raglan I (13244). ( Champion of England Uimulus. JMistleto^bylord I. Raglan (13244). {Lancaster Comet (11663). Virtue, by Plantaga- net (11906). Q ' Princess Royal. ( The Czar (20947). Carmine. < Cressida, I by John Bull (11618). This was certainly subjecting the Champion of England blood to a searching test, and as Roan Gauntlet proved one of the greatest sires of his day Mr. Cruickshank's judgment found in his case ample vindication. Some of the objec- tionable features of old Lancaster Comet's head were visible in Roan Gauntlet, but the out- standing excellence of his progeny furnished fresh proof of the fact that it is a mistake to discard an otherwise remarkable bull for a 41 642 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. minor defect of that nature. Among other ex- traordinary animals begotten by Roan Gaunt- let may be named the renowned Field Marshal (47870)— the sire of Mario (51713)— and the good stock bull Baron Violet (47444), used at Sittyton. Barmpton.— Whatever may be the relative rank assigned to the latter-day Cruickshank bulls in their own country American breeders will always set a high value upon the red Barmpton (37763). He was another son of Royal Duke of Gloster that was dropped in 1875 by the good cow Barmpton's Flower (of the Towneley Butterfly line), a daughter of Allan (21172), son of the great Forth. If Barmpton had done nothing more than sire Baron Victor (45944), so celebrated in the Linwood Herd of Col. W. A. Harris of Kansas, he would still be entitled to the recognition here accorded. Cumberland.— One of the bulls most exten- sively used after Roan Gauntlet was Cumber- land (46144), a massive roan that was calved in 1880 and maintained steadily in service for a period of eight years. He was described as "short in the leg, deep and long in the body, with an excellent head, full, wide chest, well- laid shoulders, strong loins, well-sprung ribs, with such a cover of lean flesh as is rarely met with." As will be observed from the following tabulation Cumberland's dam, the fine cow AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON. 643 Custard of the Clipper tribe, was own sister in blood to Roan Gauntlet, so that his selection for service resulted in still further intensifying Mr. Cruickshank's favorite blood: f Scotland's Pride (25100). j ( Pride of the ! I Lovely 8th. Q Isles (35072). I |j UddenDays. \ ^rW ^^ f Grand Duke of Gloster Custard. R°yai D G1°Ster ,u I Mimulus, •} by Champion of England. I by Champion of England. (Champion of England Carmine/5*0' by The Czar (20947). There is not in Short-horn history a record of greater success attained in the production of valuable cattle for practical farm and feed-lot purposes than that which attended the breed- ing operations at Sittyton after the practice of using only home-bred bulls was adopted. The herd began at once to take on a uniform- ity in essential points which it had not hith- erto possessed, and the further the concentra- tion of blood was carried — up to a certain point — the better the results. The fruit of Mr. Cruickshank's appeal to the practice of inbreed- ing was the establishment of a well-fixed type of short-legged, broad-ribbed, thick-fleshed cat- tle feeding to satisfactory weights at an early age; and the same concentration of blood that served to fix these desirable characteristics in- 644 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. sured the prepotency of the stock for reproduc- tive purposes. The herd became the fountain head of Short-horn breeding in the North. The Sittyton bulls became the standard sires of Scotland. The value of the service the Messrs. Cruickshank had rendered was now universally conceded in their native land and leading American breeders gladly availed themselves of the privilege of selecting stock bulls from this premier Aberdeenshire herd. The closing years at Sittyton will form the subject of further reference. CHAPTER XX. OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS. The constructive work carried out to such extraordinary success at Sittyton was destined to exert an influence over the breed on both sides the Atlantic as far-reaching as it was beneficent. There were none to dispute the supremacy of Sittyton in the North. It was the source from whence nearly all the breeders of Aberdeenshire and adjacent counties drew their best material as weil as their inspiration. While Amos Cruickshank must therefore be called the real leader of the line of Short-horn progression in Scotland, passing notice should be taken of the work of some of his contem- poraries. To review the operations in detail of all those who contributed largely to the upbuild- ing of the Short-horn interest in the North would require more space than can here be given. Indeed, we cannot undertake to list in full their names. Coates' Herd Book must be consulted by those who wish to delve deeply into the subject. We should, however, give a place in this record to the names of Gen. Sim- (645) 646 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. son of Fifeshire, Douglas of Athelstaneford, Barclay of Keavil, the Duke of Richmond, the Earl of Montrose, Lord Lovat of Beaufort, Sir William Sterling Maxwell of Kier, Longmore of Rettie, Mark Stewart of South wick, the Bruces of Inverquhomery and Burnside, Syme of Red Kirk, Mitchell of Alloa, Sylvester Camp- bell of Kinellar, William S. Man* of Uppermill, John W. and Edward Cruickshank of Lethenty, and Duthie of Collynie. While we need not undertake a detailed account of the opera- tions of these and other leading breeders of that time it seems essential to a correct under- standing of the career of the Scotch-bred Short- horns in America that some facts be furnished relating especially to the herds at Athelstane- ford, Kinellar, Uppermill, Lethenty and Col- lynie. Douglas of Athelstaneford, — A herd that was in every way worthy of the district that had been the home of Rennie of Phantassie was begun about 1842 by Mr. James Douglas, an enterprising tenant farmer at Athelstane- ford (locally called "Elshinford") in East Lo- thian. Douglas was ambitious from the first for show-yard honors, and as a competitor at the great exhibitions of the United Kingdom, as well as at the Paris Exposition of 1856, he met with a brimming measure of success. The herd was begun about 1842, but it was not un- OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS. 647 til the Newcastle Royal of 1846 that he made notable purchases. The famous show bull Belleville (6778) was then at the height of his reputation, and several of his daughters were purchased. One of these, the roan Queen of Trumps, bred by Mr. Unthank, was one of the greatest prize-winners of her time. She was bought for shipment to America at a high price by Mr. Barrett of Kentucky, but was lost at sea. in 1852 a sale was made which included practically the entire original herd. Reserva- tion was made, however, of the celebrated Mantalini show cow Rose of Summer, by Vel- vet Jacket (10998), Scottish Blue Belle and a few others of special excellence. At this sale Rose of Summer's dam, Rose of Autumn, to- gether with Brenda (then carrying Lord Rag- lan, by Crusade) were bought by Mark Stewart of Southwick. Subsequently Lord Raglan was bought back, together with Rose of Sharon, a daughter of Rose of Autumn, and the four fine heifers Hawthorne Blossom, Heather Belle, Cherry Queen and Imperial Cherry, a quar- tette that cost 600 guineas. Prior to the sale the Athelstaneford cattle had won some sixty prizes at leading shows, and the second herd, with Rose of Summer and Scottish Blue Belle as its trump cards, inaugurated another cam- paign that was even more successful. Scot- 648 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. tish Blue Belle was ultimately sold to Mr. R. G. Corwine of Lebanon, 0., and brought to the United States. Killerby and Warlaby were then drawn upon for females. The sum of 500 guineas was offered Richard Booth in vain for Charity, and a 550-guinea bid for Nectarine Blossom was also declined. Mr. Douglas se- cured, nevertheless, Birthright, a granddaugh- ter of Bracelet, Isabella Hopewell and Venus de Medicis. Douglas scored a great success with the roan bull Captain Balco (12546) of Ambler's breed- ing. He stood next to Towneley's undefeated Master Butterfly at the Royal Dublin, and after being used for a time in the herd was sold along with Hawthorne Blossom and a lot ag- gregating some twenty head to the Shakers of Ohio. The Booth-bred bull Hymen (13058), of Bolderi's breeding, out of Bridecake, was next bought and fitted as a member of the herd sent for exhibition at Paris in 1856, at which **how he was sold to M. de Trehonnais for 200 guin- eas. Bates blood was acquired by the pur- chase of the cow Playful, by 4th Duke of York. Some of Troutbeck's Gwynnes were also se- cured. A son of Captain Balco, called Sir James the Rose (15290), out of Rose of Summer, succeeded his sire at the head of the herd and proved a capital stock-getter. Rose of Sum- mer and her descendants were of a remarkably OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS. 649 thick-fleshed, neat-boned, blocky, short-legged, squarely-built sort; and such cattle as Rose of Athelstane, Maid of Athelstane, Lady of Athel- stane, Queen of Athelstane, Pride of Athelstane and Crown Prince of Athelstane constituted a collection that has rarely been excelled in any herd on either side the water. In 1864 the late Hon. David Christie of Can- ada bought and imported a number of the best cattle of the Douglas herd and they exerted a great influence for good on this side the At- lantic. We believe that this sale to Mr. Chris- tie practically closed the operations of Mr. Douglas as a breeder of Short-horns. Further reference to the importation just mentioned will be made in a subsequent chapter. Campbell of Kinellar. — Although not one of the earliest the herd of the late Sylvester Campbell was one of the best in Aberdeenshire. Founded in the year 1847 by the purchase of a pair of heifer calves at Barclay of Ury's sale, one costing 20 guineas and the other 9, the Campbell herd affords a striking illustration of what an intelligent farmer can accomplish from a modest beginning. Situated about nine miles northwest of the city of Aberdeen, located in a district noted for its fine farms and known locally as "the How;e of the Garioch," the farm of Kinellar, of which Mr. Campbell was tenant, lies in the valley of the River Don. Jamieson 650 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. says: "The scenery here is picturesque and beautiful. The winding river, a fine salmon stream, is flanked by wooded heights, with some handsome villas nestling here and there among the trees. At times the valley narrows between rugged woody banks and then widens out again into broad, fertile meadows — haughs, as they are called in Scotland — where the fat sheep browse and the cattle doze away their time in sleepy satisfaction among the butter- cups and clover. A sweet spot it is in sunny days of June when the sky is without a cloud and the skylarks are fluttering and singing over the grassy fields. The farm lies among the banks and braes that slope up from the river and consists for the most part of good loamy soil, laid off in square fields, inclosed by massive stone dykes." The foundation heifers above mentioned were both sired by The Pacha (7612) — the grandson of Mason's Lady Sarah heretofore referred to— and were known as Isabella and Susannah. From the 20-guinea heifer, Isabella, Mr. Camp- bell derived two good families, known as the Urys and Clarets. He seems to have proceeded leisurely in his cattle-breeding and at first bred his cows and heifers to sires in service on neighboring farms, among them being Fairfax Hero (9106), Vice-President (11002) and Unri- valed (13926)— all bred at Sittyton and two of OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS. 651 them sons of that capital bull Fairfax Royal (6987). In 1854 he bought from Mr. Whitehead of Little Methlick the cow Crocus, a grand- daughter of a Pacha heifer that had been bought at Ury in 1847. The Nonpareils, Miss Ramsdens and Golden Drops. — The big, massive Thalia came to Kinel- lar in 1857 from Longmore of Rettie and a few years later Nonpareil 24th, by Lord Sackville, was got from the Messrs. Cruickshank. From the latter came the famous Kinellar Nonpareils. The original cow of this tribe had been brought to Scotland from the herd of Mr. Cartwright of Tathwoll on the Lincolnshire wolds, in whose hands the sort had been greatly esteemed. In- deed, the first Nonpareil, a roan cow sired by the white bull Tathwell Studley (5401), carry- ing considerable infusions of the blood of the $5,000 Comet, proved useful until seventeen years of age. Another one of the Kinellar ma- trons was Miss Ramsden, bred by Sir J. Rams- den, and taken to Scotland by Mr. Jopp, from whom she was purchased by Mr. Campbell. Another cow that proved a good investment was Maid of Promise, obtained from Mr. Benton in Alford. From her was descended probably the best cow ever seen in the Kinellar pastures, Maid of Promise 6th, that won the challenge cup at Aberdeen some years ago as the best Short-horn of either sex on exhibition. Thes- 652 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. salonica, that gave rise to the beautiful Kinellar Golden Drops, was dropped by Jewess, a cow bought from Mr. Harvey of Tillygreig, in calf to Duke of Clarence (9040), a fine white bull bred by Wetherell and illustrated in the eighth volume of Coates' Herd Book. Another pur- chase that proved fruitful was the cow Ruby Hill, by Elphinstone (14492), that was bred by Messrs. Smith, Billhead of Nairn. Early Kinellar sires. — For some years the herd of Messrs. Cruickshank was resorted to for sires. Mr. Campbell was remarkably fortunate, or, perhaps we should say, exercised extraor- dinary judgment in selecting young bulls at Sittyton. Mosstrooper (11827), Beeswing (12456), Scarlet Velvet (16916), and Diphthong (17681) proved exceptional stock-getters. The two latter were sent into the leading show- yards of the North in 1862 and 1863 and over- came all opposition. Indeed, the use and ex- hibition of these bulls was an important factor in building up the reputation of the Sittyton stock. Of Cruickshank breeding also was the handsome bull known as The Garioch Boy (15384), bought by Mr. Campbell at a high price, but lost soon afterward. Beeswing was a red, sired by Matadore (11800), tracing on the dam's side through Venus and Dairymaid to the stock of Rennie of Phantassie. He left at Kinellar a lot of useful, deep-bodied cows; and OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS. 653 when these were crossed with the stylish show bull Scarlet Velvet the progeny proved among the best Short-horns of their clay. Scarlet Vel- vet was a red, sired by The Baron (13833) out of Verdure by Plantagenet (11906), running to the cow Tranquil by Barclay's Billy (3151). He was sold to go into Morayshire. Diphthong another red "with a curious mark like a tape- line around his left fore ribs," was a thick, good bull by Lord Stanley (16454) out of a daughter of Fancy, also by Billy (3151), and had a bril- liant career at the Scottish national shows. Booth cross disappointing.— So great had been the success of the use of these Sittyton bulls that Kinellar began to take rank as a rival of the Cruickshank herd itself, then the most famous in all Scotland, and Campbell thought to emphasize his independence by turning elsewhere for his herd bulls. From 1863 to 1877 he went South for his sires and bought bulls largely of Booth blood. Probably the most noted of these was Prince of Worces- ter (20597), that had been a Royal winner as a yearling and a champion as an aged bull at Aberdeen. He also had Sir Christopher (22895), bred by Richard Booth, but notwithstanding the enterprise he had displayed in this regard the results were disappointing, and in the later years of his breeding operations he returned to his first love and in large measure restored the 654 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. usefulness of his stock by breeding from such Cruickshank bulls as Vermont and Gravesend. The latter in particular did excellent service, acquiring distinction as a heifer getter, and af- terward passed into the possession of William Duthie of Collynie. Mr. Campbell died in 1891, and the herd was finally dispersed in 1897. The proprietor had been highly respected throughout the entire North Country and the sale drew out a large attendance. Although prices at that time were not at their present range, the heifers by Gravesend and Royal James were greatly ad- mired and averaged over £42 each. Lord Rose- berry, Mr. Duthie and Fletcher of Rosehaugh bought a number of the best lots. A few went into Yorkshire, and the bull Royal James to Lincoln. Mr. Duthie says: "The Kinellar cat- tle were noted for their substance, and the cows generally were heavy milkers." The Kinellar Short-horns are best known in America through the fine family of Golden Drops, descending from the cow Thessalonica above mentioned. The sort was introduced on this side by Messrs. Geo. Isaac and J. S. Thomp- son of Canada. In the hands of Messrs. Avery & Murphy, Col. Holloway, Messrs. A. H. & I. B. Day and others they sold at strong prices and made an enviable show-yard and breeding rec- ord. Subsequently they acquired additional OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS. 655 fame as perhaps the best family in the Linwood herd of Col. W. A. Harris. Some of the Miss Ramsdens and Nonpareils were also imported into the West and proved good breeders as well as successful show animals. Marr of Uppermill.— The late William S. Marr, one of the most eminent of all the Aber- ' deen shire breeders of Short-horns, entered upon the farm of Uppermill in 1833. It is sit- uated in the same district as Sittyton, Shethin, Colly nie and other noted nurseries of North Country stock. Mr. Marr was twenty-two years of age at the time he took the lease of Upper- mill, which was at that time in a very rough state. Much of the kind had to be reclaimed at great expense, and it was not until about 1851 that he was able to turn his attention to Short-horns. His first purchases were made in the North of England, but with .one notable exception the original investment proved alto- gether unsatisfactory; the cattle doing no good under the conditions to which they were sub- jected in their new home. The Maudes. — The ancestress of this Upper- mill tribe was the fine cow Maude that consti- tuted the exception just mentioned. She be- longed to a family that had been bred by Mr. Thomas Chrisp of Northumberland, who had obtained the sort from the herd of Mr. Jopling. 656 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. The foundation dam, Duchess of St. Albans, had a double cross of the Princess bull St. Al- bans (2584). The present proprietor at Upper- mill says: "My father used to tell me that Maude was a very tine cow and a grand milker/' Crossed with such bulls as Heir of "Englishman (24122) and Cherub 4th (33359), both of Lord Sudeley's Seraphina sort, the Maudes developed into one of the strongest of Mr. Marr's tribes. The Missies. — This celebrated Scottish fam- ily originated in the hands of Capt. Barclay of Ury. The primal cow of this name was bred by Mr. A. Morison from Countess of Ury blood; and was obtained by Mr. Marr about 1854. She was considered an extraordinary animal, pos- sessing great substance and wealth of flesh. The earlier Missies were sired by such bulls as Augustus (15598), Lord of Lome (18258), Young Pacha (20457), and Macduff (26773); and in later years the sort was brought to a high de- gree of perfection by the use of Seraphina and Sittyton bulls. The tribe not only proved pro- lific, but steadily improved in merit until ac- knowledged on both sides the Atlantic as one of the best of all Scotch Short-horn families. Indeed, it is doubtful if any other one sort has done more for the good of the breed in the North of Scotland, or has produced more noted prize-winners. During the "seventies" the late OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS. 657 Mr. Marr showed cattle of this family with great success; conspicuous among the winners being the bull Young Englishman (31113), got by Heir of Englishman out of Missie 19th. He was calved in 1871 and was first and champion at the leading shows for three successive years, besides leaving many good sons and beautiful daughters at Uppermill, In recent years Moun- taineer (63027), a Missie bull of Mr. Marr's breeding, was shown with success in the herd of Messrs. Wright of Lincolnshire, Eng. Mi- randa, in the hands of Mr. Deane Willis, and the Royal champion Marengo, owned by Mr. Philo L. Mills of Nottinghamshire, have brought additional honor to the tribe. Mr. Duthie has incorporated the sort into his famous herd at Collynie, and such cows as Missie 141st, by William of Orange, and Missie 150th, by Daunt- less, now at Uppermill, afford capital illustra- tion of the manner in which the blood breeds on. The Princess Royals. — This sort and the Missies constitute the two largest families now at Uppermill, there being about twenty females . of each. The Princess Royals trace their de- scent in the maternal line to the herd of Mr. Hay of Shethin. They have responded well to the use of Cruickshank bulls, displaying good constitution, great wealth of flesh, broad ribs and strong loins. Many good specimens both 658 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. of the Princess Royals and the Missies have been imported to the United States and Canada during the past 'twenty years. The Alexandrinas. — This tribe is of the same origin as the Sittyton Crocus sort, both descending from the herd of Mr. Morison of Mountblairy, Aberdeenshire, who obtained the family from Grant Duff. The Alexandrinas have to their credit the production of the fa- mous American champion show bull Gay Mon- arch 92411. The family came into the posses- sion of Mr. Marr about 1860. The Roan or Red Ladys.— About 1855 Mr. Marr purchased from the late Mr. Whitehead of Little Methlick, Aberdeenshire, a cow called Roan Lady, from which he bred a heifer by the Kinellar bull Young Pacha called Red Lady. Descendants of these cows have since been known at Uppermill as Roan or Red Ladys. They have been distinguished, as a rule, for their rich colors, good Short-horn character, fine style and depth of flesh. Representatives of this sort have several times topped the Up- permill young bulls. Indeed, at the sale held this year (1899) the best price, 270 guineas, was paid by Mr. Mills for Royal Fame from Roan •Lady 14th — a fine old cow, still useful at the age of fourteen years. The Bessies. — This tribe came to Uppermill in 1862 and, like the Roan Ladys, was acquired OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS. 659 by purchase from Mr. Whitehead. The latter had obtained the blood from Barclay of Ury. It is one of several valuable Scottish sorts trac- ing in the maternal line to Mary Anne, by Sillery. The Bessies are now well known in connection with the champion show bull Sign of Riches (60324), sold in 1898 for export to South America and called by many good judges the best Short-horn bull in Great Britain at the time of his exportation. He was a bull of ex- traordinary depth and wealth of flesh that overcame all opposition not only at the High- land show but at the Koyal Dublin. He was sold at auction in Buenos Aires for £650, and one of his sons (Farrier) was recently sold in Argentine by the Messrs. Nelson for £1,300. The Claras. — Mr. Marr, in common with nearly all of the other Aberdeenshire breeders, was indebted very largely to the Ury blood of Capt. Barclay for his foundation stock. In ad- dition to the Ury tribes already mentioned he obtained in 1860 from Mr. Shepherd of Shethin the cow Clara 10th, descended from Clara 2d, by The Pacha, bred by Barclay. The Claras are recognized in the North of Scotland as one of the soundest of the old local sorts, and in 1876 Clara 28th of this line, sired by Gold Dig- ger (24044), was a prominent prize-winner. She possessed great scale and rare beauty of conformation. Several specimens of this fam- 660 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. ily have been imported to the United States and Canada. The Emmas. — This family came to Upper- mill about 1870 through the cow Emma 2d, by Golden Eagle (26267). She carried six succes- sive crosses of bulls bred by Mr. Cruickshank, and one of her heifers, bred by Mr. Marr, known as Emma 3d, was imported into Illinois in 1876, where she became the dam of the cham- pion twin heifers Emma 4th and 5th, that ac- quired so much celebrity in the herd of Messrs Potts. Indeed, it may fairly be claimed that the exhibition of these massive, heavy-fleshed cows contributed largely toward building up the demand for Scotch-bred Short-horns that set in throughout the Western States about the time of their exhibition. Another noted animal of the Emma tribe was the bull Earl of Mar (47815), imported into Canada by Francis Green. He was a roan from Emma 2d, the matron of the tribe at Uppermill The Goldies. — The original Goldie was bred by Messrs. Smith & Co. of Inverness. She was a remarkably fine specimen of the breed, hav- ing for sire the Sittyton-bred Goldsmith (14632). She came to Uppermill about 1858, where she produced in 1865 the bull Gold Digger that was sold to the late Mr. Duthie, father of the pres- ent William Duthie of Collynie. He proved such a good sire that he was bought back for OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS. 661 Uppermill and rendered valuable service. Goldie was fed for exhibition at the Smithfield Show in London, where she was a prize-winner after having produced four calvss. She was regarded as one of the best Short-horn cows of her time, and some of the best of all the Up- permill Short-horns trace descent from her. A white bull calf of this tribe, called The White Knight, has recently been bought by Mr. Duthie for service at Collynie at 140 guineas. He was sired by Wanderer out of Goldie 35th. Sittyton sorts.— In addition to his own fam- ilies as above enumerated Mr. Marr added to the herd at Uppermill representatives of Mr. Cruickshank's Butterfly and Duchess of Gloster tribes. In the hands of Mr. Marr the Butter- flys have been known as Blythesomes. It will be remembered that this sort was obtained by Mr. Cruickshank from Capt. Barclay. The first of the family went to Uppermill in 1880. A Blythesome bull calf recently brought 220 guineas from P. L. Mills of Ruddington Hall. The Duchesses of Gloster at Uppermill are de- rived from Duchess of Gloster 35th, bred at Sittyton in 1885. Early Sires at Uppermill. — One of the first bulls bought by Mr. Marr was Clarendon (14280), a red, obtained in 1856 from the old herd at Shethin. He was always thought an extra good bull and a rare stock-getter. He 662 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. belonged to the Princess Royal family. An- other valuable bull obtained from Shethin and placed in service in 1859 was the beautiful roan Lord of Lome (18258), sired by the famous Cherry Duke 2d (14265), and tracing on the dam's side through the Lovely line afterward so famous at Sittyton. Lord of Lome was one of the most potent influences in the develop- ment of the original herd. Uppermill early gave its adherence to Sittyton, the first of the Cruickshank bulls to go there being Lord Sur- rey (20230) and Lord Lyons (22173). The former was bought in 1861 and the latter in 1864. They were both reds and both proved satisfactory sires. Resort was next had to Kinellar. Young Pacha (20457) and Prince Louis (27158), both red, were obtained from Mr. Campbell. The former left some good cows and heifers and Prince Louis proved a tower of strength. He was a bull of great sub- stance, very thick in his flesh and stood near to the ground. In the course of a recent letter to the author the younger Mr. Marr says: "I be- lieve the thickness of the Uppermill cattle is to this day partly due to Prince Louis." It is interesting in this connection to note that his dam, the Cruickshank-bred Nonpareil 24th, was a daughter of Lord Sackville (13349), whose extraordinary value as a sire was not suffi- ciently recognized at Sittyton. Prince Louis OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS. 663 was followed by the first home-bred bull to be placed in service, to-wit.: Gold Digger (24044). As already mentioned he was out of the great cow G oldie and was used for a time by the late Mr. Duthie. He is said to have been a very grand red bull, possessing great width and depth. One branch of the Missies traces through Missie 20th, by Gold Digger. He was followed by the Highland Society's prize bull Macduff (26773), a roan, bred by Mr. Bruce of Broadland. A large family of Missies descend through Missie 30th by this bull. Heir of Englishman (24122).— This great show-yard champion was bought for Upperrnill in 1869 at four years of age. He was bred by G. 11. Barclay of Keavil, Perthshire, who was also the breeder of the famous Baron Booth of Lancaster 7535, so celebrated in America. The Heir was got by Englishman (19701) out of the handsome cow Seraphina 13th, belonging to Lord Sudeley's renowned family of that name. He was a roan, showing pronounced Short- horn character, great substance, length, qual- ity and style, and was a leading prize-winner at all the National shows of his day, including both the Royal and the Highland. Amos Cruickshank is said to have been one of his greatest admirers, and remarked to Mr. Marr that the bull's head and eye alone were worth the price paid for him. Mr. Marr was offered 664 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. double the sum given for the bull by the Sitty- ton management. Heir of Englishman gave the Upper mill herd its first great popularity. His progeny were eagerly sought by foreign buyers and were easily recognized on account of their singular uniformity. It is doubtful if any bull ever used in Aberdeenshire left a greater impress upon North Country Short- horn breeding. He was used at Uppermill for seven years. Young Englishman (31113), a red, sired by the Heir out of Missie 19th, developed into a bull of great thickness and succeeded his sire in service. He proved a good getter as well as a fine show bull, and Mr. Marr had the cour- age to refuse an offer of £300 for him, which was in those days a fabulous price for a Scotch- bred Short-horn. About this same time sev- eral other home-bred bulls were tested, among others Midshipman (29372), that was used for a year and then sold for export to Australia at a long price. He was a bull of remarkable thick- ness, and several of his daughters were brought to the United States and Canada. Cherub 4th (83359).— The Seraphina blood as evidenced in the two bulls just mentioned gave such eminent satisfaction at Uppermill that Mr. Marr next purchased the roan Cherub 4th, bred by Lord Sudeley and sired by Manda- rin (29269) out of Booth's Seraphina by Baron OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS. 665 Booth (21212), the sire of Mr. PickrelFs Baron Booth of Lancaster. Mandarin was a white bull with roan ears, got by the Bates-bred 2d Duke of Wetherby (21618) out of Seraphina 15th; so that Cherub 4th was an inbred Sera- phina carrying a Bates as well as a Booth cross. He was a dark roan of pronounced substance and quality and cost 200 guineas at twelve months old. He was a capital stock-getter and his bulls made the highest prices obtained by Mr. Marr in the old days. Athabasca (47359). — In the selection and use of this valuable Cruickshank bull we have an admirable illustration of the advantage pos- sessed by Old Country breeders in the matter of disregarding color in bulls chosen for stock purposes. Athabasca was a white, bred at Sit- tyton from the prize bull Pride of the Isles (35072) out of Azalea (dam of the most cele- brated of all latter-day Cruickshank bulls, Field Marshal), by Caesar Augustus (25704). He was bought in 1881 and used at Uppermill for seven years with complete success. His young bulls were in keen demand and his heifers, as a rule, were of a refined and excellent breeding type. Since Athabasca's time none but Cruick- shank bulls have been used at Uppermill. He was succeeded by Lord Lavender (54616), by Cumberland out of Lavender 15th. 666 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. William of Orange (50694). — This great Cruickshank bull was bought at Sittyton as a calf in 1883. He was a red, sired by Roan Gauntlet out of Orange Blossom 21st by Caesar Augustus, and was retained in service at Up- permill until twelve years old. His record as a sire is a source of pride to all who are inter- ested in the fortunes of the Aberdeenshire cat- tle. He was a red, possessing strong individu- ality, wonderful constitution, a grandly-spread and admirably-covered back, and extraordinary quality. As seen at Uppermill by the writer in 1892 he impressed us as the best aged bull of the breed we had the privilege of examining in all Britain, and his progeny were almost without exception well above the average in merit. Among the best of his get may be men- tioned Gay Monarch and Master of the Mint (both brought to America), Mountaineer and the dam of^ Marengo. His daughters have proved mines of wealth to the proprietors of Uppermill. Later Sittyton sires at Uppermill. — After William of Orange came Sea King (61769), a good dark roan of the Spicy family, sired by Gondomar (55821) out of Sea Foam by Gondo- lier (52956), tracing to Silvery by Champion of England. Then came Dauntless (54155), Cap- tain of the Guard (58956) and Wanderer (60138), the latter sire of the 330-guinea bull Scottish OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS. 667 Champion, sold to Mr. Duthie. Wanderer is still in service (1899) at eleven years of age. The Uppermill young bulls have been sold at public auction annually since 1856. Showing has been discontinued since about 1875. Mr. Marr Sr. departed this life a few years since after a long and useful career, having contributed largely to the upbuilding of the reputation which the Aberdeenshire Short- horns have attained on both sides the Atlantic. His son William S. succeeded to the owner- ship and management of the herd. Lethenty. — Mr. Anthony Cruickshank had two sons, John W. and Edward, both of whom always manifested a deep interest in Short- horns. Upon the death of their father they in- herited his interests in the Sittyton herd, which they retained until its final dispersion. In ad- dition to holding this interest in the parent herd the brothers undertook at Lethenty, near Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, the establishment of a partnership herd. The foundation of the herd was laid in the early "seventies" and Booth blood was made the standard. The herd at- tained considerable proportions and was bred with a good degree of success for some years, being finally dispersed at auction. After the sale of the Booth cattle Mr. Edward Cruickshank founded at Lethenty a second herd, drawing part of his material from Sitty- 668 A HISTORY OF SHOUT-HORN CATTLE. ton and part from Longmore of Rettie. As has already been stated the Longmore Short- horns ranked among the best ever produced in Scotland, the herd dating from about 1838, and at the time Edward Cruickshank purchased fe- males of that breeding the Rettie stock carried a good percentage of Sittyton blood. Edward had an idea that these large-framed, good -milk- ing cows would "nick" well with Sittyton sires, and, as the question of fresh blood for the parent herd wras often considered by Mr. Amos Cruickshank, it was agreed between Ed- ward and his uncle that the proposition of the former to select good Longmore cows for mat- ing with Sittyton bulls was likely to result in success and perhaps prove the means of pro- viding a desirable outcross for the now strong- ly-inbred Cruickshank stock. Five of these Longmore cows were bought at the Rettie dis- persion of 1881, consisting of three daughters and two granddaughters of Lord Forth (26649), a red bull bred at Sittyton from Forth (17866) out of Autumn Rose by Lord Raglan. The richly-fleshed, low-standing roan bull Perfec- tion (37185), sired by Bridesman (30586) out of Russian Violet by Scotland's Pride, was se- cured from Sittyton and placed in service. This bull was distinguished for his quality and even distribution of thick flesh, and crossed with Longmore cows proved a distinct success. OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS. 669 He was followed in service by one of his sons, Prince Rufus (51926), descended on his dam's side from the Rettie stock. He was a capital individual, being shown with success as a calf, yearling and two-year-old. About 1887 Edward Cruickshank resolved to give up farming and take up his residence in England, closing out practically the entire herd at private sale to the Hon. John Dryden of Canada. Collynie,— The herd of Mr. William Duthie, upon whose shoulders the mantle of the late Amos Cruickshank seems to have fallen, occu- pies such a commanding position in the Scotch Short-horn trade at the present time that it must form the subject of further reference in a subsequent chapter. As its foundations, how- ever, date back to about the year 1856 it must be included in this connection among the Aber- deenshire stocks contemporaneous in date with the herd at Sittyton. Mr. Duthie's father was a near neighbor of Mr. Cruickshank and kept a few Short-horns on the farm of Collynie— one of the Earl of Aber- deen's many estates in that vicinity — some fifty years since. At the dispersion sale of the good herd of Mr. Jonathan Whitehead of Little Methlick, in 1856, he purchased the foundation dams of three tribes that are still to be found in the herd; one of which has the same origin as the Roan or Red Lady tribe at Uppermill 670 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. already mentioned. In common with other Aberdeenshire breeders Mr. Duthie Sr. sought at all times cattle of the useful, practical sort, and long before the Sittyton dispersion the herd had acquired pronounced merit and a high local reputation. It was not, however, until the present proprietor, Mr. Wm. Duthie, made his memorable purchase of Sittyton cattle after Mr. Amos Cruickshank gave up breeding, that the Collynie Short-horn became an important factor on both sides the water. As American breeders are interested more particularly in the later history of the herd comment as to its character is reserved until the subject may be reached in its proper order. §. If, < "1 SB-S^ O '£ .» 'CHAPTER XXL RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. The first importations of Scotch-bred Short- horns to America were made in 1854 and 1856 by the Shakers of Union Village, Warren Co., 0., and R. G. Corwine of Lebanon, 0., and con- sisted of some thirty head, most of which were bred by Douglas of Athelstaneford. The first of the North-of-Scotland blood was brought by the Illinois Importing Co., in 1857, from the herd of Messrs. Cruickshank at Sittyton; and the excellence of the two animals representing that blood in this first Western importation is amply attested by the fact that at the com- pany's sale at Springfield the pair — consisting of the bull Defender (12687), by Matadore (11800), and the roan Nonpareil heifer Lady Harriet — brought $3,800 at auction. Notwith- standing this early introduction of Scotch cat- tle, the descendants of the New York, Ohio and Kentucky importations from England, as we have already shown, so dominated the trade in the United States that little attention was paid for many years to the operations of the Scotch breeders. (671) 672 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Early importations into Ontario. — Although Canada was linked with the mother-land by many ties of blood and interest and numbered in her rural population many farmers of Scot- tish birth, the Dominion's interest in the North- Country cattle did not manifest itself in any appreciable degree until after the great revival of breeding in North America that set in after the close of the Civil War in the States. During the period extending from 1854 to 1861 Geo. and Win. Miller and Simon Beattie made several importations from the herd of Robert Syme of Red Kirk, Dumfrieshire. This was a sound old stock of good local repute in the south of Scotland, and some of the most useful of the Canadian families of Short-horns trace their descent from these purchases, A very noted bull of Geo. Miller's importation was Prince of Wales 50100, a showy roan that was exhibited extensively in Canada and the State of New York without meeting defeat. Mr. William Miller of Pickering, Ontario, im- ported cattle of Syme's breeding about the same dates; some of the original selections being made by his son, Mr. Wm. Miller (later of Lake- side Farm, Iowa), then a young man making his first tour of the old-country herds and flocks. In the William Miller lot was the bull Red Kirk (15138), a fine roan of medium size that was sold for service in the State of New York. Mr. RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. 673 Miller describes the Red Kirk heifers of that day as among the best to be found in all Britain. In 1857 Messrs. Armstrong of Markham brought out the light-roan bull Fawkes (14539), of Red Kirk breeding, a remarkably thick-fleshed, sub- stantial bull that proved a grand getter. In 1856 Mr. Geo. Roddick of Coburg imported from the herd of Mark Stewart, Southwick, near Dumfries, the heifer Nonpareil 6th in calf to Lord Raglan (13244) and the young bulls Brilliant by Baron of Ravensworth (7811) and Prince Charlie by Lord Raglan. In 1861 Simon Beattie imported three heifers and two bulls of the Red Kirk blood, and in 1869 Wm. Miller of Pickering brought out the grand roan show heifer Ruberta — bred by Messrs. Game of Broad- moor, Gloucestershire, England — that had a successful career at the leading Western fairs of the early "seventies."* Along with Ruberta * Some facts concerning earlier importations into Canada from England may here be of interest: One of the first importations into the Dominion was that of Mr. Row- land Wingfield, who brought out in 1833 and in 1838 six cows and heifers and the white bull Young Farmer 62d. Three of the females, Lilly, by Warden 1563; Dairymaid, by Warwick (2815); Pedigree, by Mynheer (2345), and Cow- slip, by Warwick (2815), were purchased by Kentucky breeders and taken to that State. About this same date Mr. Adam Fergusson imported the cows Beauty' by Snowball (2647), and Cherry, by a son of St. Albans (2584), together with the bull Agricola (1614). The latter was sold to go to New York. Beauty and Cherry were both roans from the herd of James Chrisp of Northumber- land, and the former gave rise to a family that afterward became very pop- ular at Bow Park and elsewhere. In 1837 Thomas Mairs imported the roan bull Holderness and the cow Strawberry. Antedating all of these was an importation of four bulls said to have been made by the New Brunswick Agricultural Society, three of which were from the herd of Mr. Wetherell- In 1845 Ralph Wade Sr. of Port Hope, Ont., imported the roan cows Ade- 43 674 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. came the heifer Gola and bull Fawsley Chief 10051, both of Torr's breeding. Notwithstanding these in vestments in Scotch stock the English type of Short-horns con- tinued to have the call in Canada, as well as on this side of the border, for many years follow- ing the Syme importations mentioned. Direct line, Clarentine, Fisher Roan and Snowdrop, and the bull American Belted Will (12394), mainly of Raine's breeding. Some years later Mr. Wade also imported a white cow, Newham Lily, bred by Mason Hopper from Belle ville (6778), and the roan bull Sir Charles Napier (13712), of same breeding From 1864 to 1856 F. W. Stone of Moreton Lodge, Guelph, Ont., made six importations, aggregating about thirty-four head. Mr. Stone's purchases were made from some of the most noted herds of the time in England, in- cluding those of Jonas Webb, J. S. Tanqueray, E. Bowly, Col. Kingscote, H. Ambler, etc. Included in these shipments were the bulls John o' Gaunt 2d (13089), Friar John (12905) and the llth and 13th Dukes of Oxford, the latter sired by the Bates bull 6th Duke of Oxford (12765), but not tracing to that tribe on dam's side. Among the cows was the roan Margaret, by Snowball 8602, of Bowly's breeding, that gave rise to a numerous family bearing her name; also a pair of Sanspareil heifers, Isabella (Booth), from Bolden's, and the roan Eugenie, from Ambler's, sired by imp. Grand Turk (12969). These selections proved very valuable to the cattle interests of Canada, and Mr. Stone made further large importations from England from 1870 to 1878. In 1860 Dr. G. H. Phillips of Prescott imported five heifers and two bulls from Ireland, one of the latter being Master McHale 5943, all of Booth blood. In 1868 the Quebec Agricultural Society brought out the two heifers Statesman's Daughter 2d and Princess, bred by J. Harward of Winterfold, and the bull Oxford Gwynne 12551, bred by Chas. Howard of Biddenham. In 1871 John Snell & Sons of Edmonton imported the roan bull British Baron 13557, bred by Col. Towneley, and in 1874 the Booth-bred Knight of the Rose 23646. In August, 1871, R. J. Stanton of Thornhill imported five heifers from the herd of Mr. Fawkes of Farneley Hall, and the bull Baron Mild Eyes from the herd of Col. Gunter. A second shipment was made by Mr. Stanton in 1874 of three heifers from the Scotch herds of Messrs. J. Whyte, J. Gordon and R. Binnie. Jno. R. Craig of Edmonton imported in 1874 the red heifer Euphemiaand heifer calf, bred by R. Stratton; the cow Lady LeMoor, bred by T. Maynard, and the roan heifer Waterloo J., bred by Sir W. C. Trevelyan of Northum- berland. In 1881 Mr. Craig received from the famous herd of Lord Pol worth of Mertoun House, St. Boswell's, eleven heifers and seven bulls, all Booth- topped. Between 1874 and 1877 Mr. Jno. Hope imported for account of Hon. Geo. Brown of Bow Park a large number of English-bred cattle, mainly of Bates RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. 675 importations from England to Ontario were supplemented by purchases of stock of English descent made in the States. The landing of Baron Booth of Lancaster and Rosedale on Canadian soil by Mr. Cochrane in 1867, followed by their sale and triumphant blood, although his first shipment, made in 1874, contained several Booths from the herd of Raymond Bruere. In 18T6 the Canada West Farm Stock Association, reference to which is made on page 511, made heavy importa- tions, chiefly of Bates blood, from leading English herds. Between 1875 and 1880 Prof. G. Lawson imported some twenty-five head, representing a wide range of English blood, for the Central Board of Agri- culture of Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 1876 Thomas Boak of Milton imported the roan cow Farewell and her bull calf from the herd of Robt. Thompson of Inglewood, whose subse- quent successes in the English show-yard with the great Mollie Millicent and other noted prize winners gave his stock great celebrity. Along with this Thompson cow came the roan bull Duke of Cumberland (58590). In 1879 Wm. Linton of Aurora, received from the Linton herd at Sheriff Hutton, Yorkshire, England, the cow Rachel, heifer calf Sheriff Hutton Rose and the young bull British Hero (39506) ; both of the latter sired by the famous Sir Arthur Ingram (32490). In 1883 he received from the same source the cows Snowdrop and Fame 2d. Between 1870 and 1881 Messrs, J. & R. Hunter of Alma, made several im- portations of Booth-bred cattle from the herds of Hugh Aylmer and T. E. Pawlett. We believe they also imported one Cruickshank heifer in the early " seventies," and they also had from J. Whyte of Aberdeenshire, the Booth bull Knight of Warlaby 20163. In 1881 the Government of St. John's, New Brunswick, imported a half- dozen heifers from the herds of Hugh Aylmer of Norfolk, and T. Marshall of Annan, Scotland, together with the bulls Bellman (44406) and Musketeer, bred by the Messrs. Mitchell of Alloa, Scotland. From 1879 to 1883 W. Murray of Chesterfield, made several shipments from England, including Grand Duchess of Oxford 69th and 5th Duke of Holker (44687) from the herd of the Duke of Devonshire. Mr. Murray's im- portations represented the best Bates tribes. . Mr. H. Y. Attrill, a capitalist with large business interests in the United States and Canada, and the owner of a farm at Goderich, Ontario, imported in 1881 Grand Duchesses 28th and 35th, bred by R. E. Oliver of Sholebroke Lodge, and the roan Bates Duchess bull 5th Duke of Tregunter (38743). In 1883 he imported two Grand Duchesses of Oxford, one Baroness Oxford, one Winsome Wild Eyes and a Barrington from the herd of the Duke of Devon- shire. Richard Gibson made extensive Importations of Bates cattle from 1881 to 1883, most of which were sold at good prices to breeders in the States. 676 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. career in the show-yards of the West, forecasted trade possibilities which the Dominion breed- ers were quick to grasp. The commanding position assumed at once by Hillhurst has al- ready been indicated, and while Mr. Cochrane was operating in the deep waters of the Bates and Booth speculation certain of his contem- poraries in the province of Ontario were quietly sowing the seed which was in time to work a revolution in the Short-horn standards of two continents. First Sittyton cattle in Canada. — The earli- est importation into Canada from Sittyton of which we find record was a small shipment made in 1859 or 1860 by Mr. Neil McOillivray of Williamstown, consisting of the jed cow Honesty, by Procurator (10657) out of Fidelity by Prince Edward Fairfax; her red bull calf Baronet, sired by The Baron (13833); the roan cow Model, by Matadore (11800) out of Bru- nette by Prince Edward Fairfax; and the roan bull Royal George (16866), by Master Butterfly 2d (14918) out of Princess Mary by The Baron. These were accompanied by the roan heifer Nina, of Mark Stewart's breeding, and a roan heifer called Souvenir, bred by J. Grundy of The Dales, near Manchester, England. In the year 1867 Geo. Isaac, a Scotchman who had settled in Canada in 1842, began im- porting stock from the herd of his brother-in- RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. 677 law, Mr. Campbell of Kinellar. Mr. Isaac's original importation consisted of the two red yearling heifers Isabella and Margaret 3d, both sired by Diphthong 3d (21547), and the bull calf Prince Charlie (27123). This shipment was fol- lowed three years later by a larger one from the same source, which was destined to have a marked influence upon the American trade. It consisted of seven heifers and the two yearling bulls Statesman 15539, a red roan of the Non- pareil sort, and Wellington 15692. Among the heifers were Golden Drop 2d (carrying Golden Drop 3d by Sir Christopher), Miss Rams- den 3d (carrying Miss Ramsden 4th), and Bloom 3d, in calf to Sir Christopher (22895). This was the first of the celebrated Golden Drop family brought to America, and the subsequent career of that excellent Kinellar tribe in the West contributed largely to building the Scotch Short-horn fame on this side the Atlantic. In 1872 Mr. Isaac supplemented his previous importations from Kinellar by the purchase of a half-dozen females of Mr. Campbell's breed- ing, together with the roan bull Inker mann 26863. In 1874 George Isaac's son John, of Bowmanton, commenced his long series of im- portations of Kinellar-bred cattle* In 1870 Mr. John S. Armstrong of Guelph began with cattle drawn from the herd of the late Mr. Marr of Uppermill. The initial im- 678 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE. portation consisted of four red two-year-old heifers, one of which, Missie 23d, belonged to a tribe now holding high rank on both sides the Atlantic. In 1871 Mr. Armstrong imported a red yearling heifer of Mr. Cruickshank's breed- ing— Lady Florence, tracing to Picotee — and a red yearling heifer, Golden Bracelet, from Mr. Duthie's, a granddaughter of Velvet by Cham- pion of England. In 1873 Mr. Armstrong made a large shipment, mainly from Uppermill, a number of which were sired by Heir of English- man (24122). These cattle met with a favor- able reception at the hands of the Ontario farmers, and in 1876 Mr. Armstrong made a further importation from the herd of Mr. Marr. The Athelstane blood. — One of the most valuable importations that ever crossed the Atlantic was that made by Hon. David Christie of Paris, Ontario, in August, 1864, from the far- famed herd of Douglas of Athelstaneford. It included the great four-year-old cow Queen of Athelstane, got by Sir James the Rose (15290) out of the Bates-bred Playful by 4th Duke of York (10167); her yearling heifer Princess of Athelstane, by Watchman (17216); the roan heifer calf Crown Princess of Athelstane, by Next of Kin (20405); the red three-year-old heifer Pride of Athelstane, by Sir James the Rose out of Lady of Athelstane .by the prize bull Hymen (13058); the red six-year-old Pla- RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. 679 cida, by Master of Athelstane (14933), and her bull calf by Knight of Athelstane (20075), and Queen of Athelstane's roan bull calf, Crown Prince of Athelstane (21512). As stated on page 649, these cattle represented some of the leading show-yard celebrities of their time in Great Britain. In 1868 Mr. Christie brought out from Eng- land the red-and-white Booth bull Knight of St. George 8472, bred by Mr. Carr of Yorkshire and sired by Prince of the Realm (22627) out of Windsor's Queen by Windsor (14013). Bred to Crown Princess of Athelstane, Knight of St. George sired Crown Prince of Athelstane 2d 16585, calved in 1872, that was sold to John Miller and James I. Davidson. The latter bred him to some of his best Cruickshank cows, the cross proving one of the greatest "hits" known in the American Short-horn trade. The Scotch cattle bearing this cross, in the hands of Messrs. Kissinger, Wilhoit, Potts and others in the West- ern States, were distinguished for their consti- tution, thrift and feeding quality, contributing some of the most successful cattle ever pro- duced on this side the Atlantic. Cruickshank cattle at the shows. — Mr. Joseph S. Thompson of Mayfield, Whitby, On- tario, made an importation by the ship Euro- pean in August, 1870, that fairly entitled him to the credit of having first brought the Sitty- 680 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. ton cattle into that prominence which they have ever since held in this country. It was this memorable shipment that brought to our shores the red Champion of England heifers Sylvia (running through Lord Sackville to the Secret foundation) and Christabel, tracing to the Kilmeny base. These two grand specimens of Amos Cruickshank's breeding were shown as yearlings at the Provincial fair held in Toronto the year of their importation, coming against JohivM. Bell's famous roan heifer Empress, tracing to the old Red Kirk stock. Three bet- ter yearlings have probably never been seen in one American show-yard, and when the entries from Sittyton were placed first and second respectively the Cruickshank cattle at once acquired favorable repute. They were the first specimens of that breeding exhibited in Can- ada, and from that time forward a large con- tingent of Dominion breeders never wavered in their allegiance to the Sittyton stock. The heifers above mentioned were bought in the fall of 1870 by the late Simon Beattie for Col. Wm. S. King of Minneapolis, Minn., and in the Western States they made many fast friends for the Aberdeenshire blood. Sylvia developed into an 1,800-lb. cow of magnificent substance and flesh, inheriting much of the extraordinary thickness and quality of her sire, and at the great Jacobs sale at West Liberty, la., in 1875 RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. 681 was conceded to be the best animal offered, commanding the long price of $2,500. This, therefore, was the real beginning of a wide- spread appreciation of the Sittyton cattle in America, although it was many years before their undoubted merit for practical purposes was fully recognized. Along with Sylvia and Christabel came the Sittyton heifer Butterfly's Rose, the good roan heifer Minnie's Annandale (bred by Currie of Hal kers ton, near Edinburgh), the Kinellar-bred heifers Clementina 1st and 2d, and the roan Cruickshank Orange Blossom bull Grand Duke of Orange (28762), sired by Scotland's Pride out of Orange Blossom 4th by Champion of Eng- land. Violet's Forth. — The enthusiasm with which the Cruickshank importation above mentioned was received in Canada and the West induced Mr. Thompson to make a larger importation from Scotland the following year. From Sitty- ton he obtained one of the best cows ever sired by the grand show bull Forth, the roan Violet's Forth, then in her sixth year, safe in calf to Caesar Augustus. Mr. Cruickshank parted with this cow reluctantly, but her subsequent exhi- bition at the shows of the Central West, follow- ing, as it did, the appearance of Sylvia and Christabel, enhanced materially American ap- preciation of his efforts. Violet's Forth was 682 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. sold to William Stewart of Franklin Grove, I1L and produced the bull Champion of the West 13632, afterward sold for $1,000. Stewart sold the cow to John Haley Spears of Menard Co., 111., one of the great showmen of his time, who exhibited her with success at the leading West- ern fairs, selling her at auction at nine years old to Mrs. Kimberley of Iowa at $1,000. The Golden Drops. — Another grand Scotch cow brought out by Mr. Thompson was Golden Drop 1st, a red -roan of same age as Violet's Forth, bred by Mr. Campbell of Kinellar, and sired by Prince of Worcester (20597) out of Golden Drop by Scarlet Velvet. Violet's Forth had decidedly the stronger back and loin, but in other respects Golden Drop 1st was her equal. She passed into possession of Messrs. John Snell & Sons, Edmonton, Ont., but like Sylvia and Violet's Forth she was sought by the enterprising breeders of the West. At SnelPs sale of 1874 she was bought by Messrs. A. H. & I. B. Day of Utica, la., owners of one of the most noted show herds of the early " seventies," at $1,125, and in their hands added fresh luster to the Aberdeenshire fame in the New World. Her red-roan heifer of 1871, Golden Drop 4th by Sir Christopher (22895), also imported by Mr. Thompson, possessed much of her mother's merit. She was sold to Mr. George F. Wastell of Port Huron, Mich. Mr. Thompson also im- RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. 683 ported the roan Golden Drop 6th, sired by Sir Christopher out of Bloom 4th by Prince of Worcester. Thompson's other importations. — In addi- tion to the valuable cattle above mentioned, Mr. Thompson's importations from 1870 to 1874 included the Cruickshank-bred cow Village Bud, a roan by Scotland's Pride, and her daugh- ter Village Blossom, by Ben Wyvis (30528). Vil- lage Blossom passed into the possession of the Messrs. Watt of Salem, in whose hands she pro- duced the most celebrated show bull of recent years in North America — Young Abbottsburn 110679. Another cow of the Thompson impor- tations that left a valuable progeny was the red-and- white Raspberry, bred by C. Bruce of Huntley, Scotland, got by the noted Kinellar sire Prince of Worcester (20597). John Collard of Iowa paid $1,015 for her in Canada in 1874. There was also obtained at Sittyton Katharine by Allan, and Finesse, daughter of Finella by Champion of England; from James Currie came Cowslip, Minnie Halkerston and a pair of Crim- son Flowers, along with several good bulls from the herds of Campbell, Marr and the Duke of Buccleuch. In 1871 Mr. H. Thompson imported the roan heifer Lady Cecil from the herd of the Duke of Buccleuch, the roan heifer Stamford 8th from Uppermill, and the red yearling Butterfly bull 684 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Breadalbane (28073), sired by Champion of Eng- land, from Sittyton. In 1872 W. Thompson of Markham imported from the Cruickshank herd the red heifer Michigan Casket, by Senator (27441) out of Cactus by Champion of Eng- land. John Miller's first shipment. — In August, 1870, Mr. John Miller of Brougham, son of Wil- liam Miller Sr. of Markham above mentioned, made his first importation; bringing out the roan Rose of Strathallan — a cow of great scale and substance that had been a prize-winner in Scotland — bred by Lord Strathallan of Perth, and sired by Mr. Cruickshank's Allan (21172). She was in calf at the time to the Booth bull Prowler (22662), and dropped to that service the red Lord Strathallan 17591, that developed into a handsome show bull, sold to Mr. S. F. Lock- ridge of Greencastle, Ind., at $2,500 and winner of a large number of prizes and challenge cups both in Canada and the States.* In this same importation were a number of English-bred * Mr. Lockridge says of this bull: " Lord Strathallan was a nearly solid red, not a dark red, but what might be called a golden red, of great scale, weighing in fair show condition 2,400 Ibs., and could easily have been made to weigh 2,500 Ibs. He was a bull of great length, and, while not remarka- bly short in the leg, was deep of body and wide from end to end, with oblique shoulders, well filled behind them, well-sprung ribs, wide in the chest, with the most remarkable development of brisket I ever saw in a bull. He was good in twist and thigh, a little light in flank, and not so long of hip as the rules of proportion require, perhaps, but compensated foi that defect by extra width at that point. He had a beautiful heal, set on a neck clean and small at the throat- latch, swelling in symmetrical lines into the great chest. His horn wa-s short and flat, thick at the base and on a level with the top of the head. The carriage of the bull was superb. I do RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. 685 heifers, including the Booth-bred Gaiety and Madame Booth, both from Killerby and got by Brigade Major (21312). In July, 1871, John Miller brought out nine heifers, including Missie 32d, from Uppermill, Oxford Lady from Col. Towneley's, and several from the herd of T. Marshall of Annan, Scot- land. In 1872 Mr. Miller imported the Booth- bred General Prim (31234), of Hugh Aylmer's breeding. James I. Davidson.— One of the earliest and most consistent supporters of Sittyton in Can- ada was Mr. James I. Davidson of Balsam, On- tario. A native of Aberdeen, who emigrated to Canada in 1842, he enjoyed the personal friendship and confidence of Mr. Amos Cruick- shank, and after it appeared that the Sittyton sort were winning their way in America he be- came for some years the leading importer and distributor of cattle of that type on this side of the Atlantic. Mr. Davidson began breeding Short-horns about 1860 with a heifer by Fawkes (14539), not think I ever saw anythiog quite equal to it. So good a judge as Davy Grant once said of him on the show ground that if he possessed the instru- ments and skill of the sculptor he couldn't carve a more perfect front. He impressed his qualities upon his heifer calves in a much larger degree than upon his bull calves. All his heifers were very like him, but his bull progeny were more prone to follow the characteristics of their dams. " Lord Strathallan was what might be called a miscellaneously-bred bull, but from the best sources. The blood of nearly all of the great English breeders was in his lineage. Mason, Towneley, Douglas, Knightley, Booth and Cruickshank all contributed in more or less degree to the constitution of his blood lines." 686 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOKN CATTLE. running on the dam's side to imp. Esterville. She proved a good investment. In 1862 he purchased from George Miller of Markham the good cow Cherry, by Prince of Wales (18630), that also did well. It was not until 1871 that Mr. Davidson commenced importing direct from Sittyton.* In June of that year Mr. Jamieson, an Aberdonian relative — who was in the em- ploy of Mr. Grant Duff for more than twenty years — selected and shipped five heifers, includ- ing Oak Wreath, a red by Allan (21172); Rose Blossom, a red by Senator (27441); Matchless 15th, a red by Champion of England; Match- less 16th, a roan by Senator, and Water Witch, a red by Scotland's Pride. Two of these, Rose Blossom and Matchless 15th, were among the best Cruickshank heifers ever brought to this country and were sold to the Messrs. Moffatt. The other three were retained for a time, but after a few years Oak Wreath was sold to Mr. * Just before the dispersion sale of the famous herd of Grant Duff of Eden was announced in 1868, Mr. Davidson wrote to his friend and relative Mr. Jamieson, Mr. Duff's overseer, for a price on a good yearling heifer. He was advised that the price would be 40 guineas. Instead of sending the money direct, Mr. Davidson forwarded a draft to a near relative, with in- structions to procure and ship the heifer. The recipient of the money, however, took it upon himself to decide, that the price was too high and determined to wait and execute the order at the sale. In order that Mr. Davidson's agent might not make any mistake and bid on the wrong ani- mal, Jamieson agreed to enter the ring during the sale and adjust the halter on the heifer chosen. The plan worked all right until the bidding began, but as the heifer was started at 50 guineas and in a few minutes was going at 100 guineas, the order was never filled. This proved a costly interfer- ence with Mr. Davidson's plans, as a granddaughter of the heifer in ques- tion (Venus, by Grand Duke, Vol. XI, E. H. B.) during the "boom" days of the seventies commanded the great price of $2,300 at a sale made by Edward lies at Springfield. I1L RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. 687 Ludlow of Monroe, Wis., for $800 along with her fifteen months' calf at $600. Water Witch also came to the States at $700, and a fifteen months' calf from Matchless 16th was sold to C. Jordan of Iowa at $500. In August, 1873, Mr. Davidson imported Mysie 37th and a pair of Orange Blossoms and in 1874 received the first large shipment ever forwarded from Sittyton, consisting of twenty head. This transferred to America some of the most valuable blood of the Cruick- shank herd, and from it have descended a large number of the best Cruickshank cattle con- tained in the breeding herds of Canada and the Western States. It included such animals as the Butterflys 36th, 43d and 44th, Acorn 2d, Red Lady, Mysies 35th and 36th, Autumn Lady, Coral, Village Girl, Rosemary, Flora 6th, Golden Galaxy, Evening Star, etc., besides the bull Framework (33964). Soon after this im- portation was landed Dr. Noel of Nashville, Tenn,, visited Mr. Davidson and purchased two of the Sittyton heifers for $1,800, one of which gave rise to the family since known as the Tennessee Orange Blossoms. It was about this time that Mr. J. H. Kissinger was at the zenith of his career in the American show-yard, and in 1875 he was allowed to select some of the "plums" of this importation for the purpose of strengthening his show herd and the Cruick- 688 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. shank cause in the States; taking out to the West a car-load lot of Sittyton-bred cattle that in after years proved a mine of wealth to the breeders, feeders and farmers of the corn belt. It was at this period that Mr. Davidson made his fortunate use of Crown Prince of Athel- stane 2d 16585 upon Cruickshank cows and heifers. In 1876 Daniel Cookson of Iowa paid $2,500 for five calves sired by this bull. An- other, the heifer Rose of Sharon from imp. Rosemary, was bought by Mr. Palmer of Mis- souri at one of Kissinger's sales at $600, and won championship honors at St. Louis, not meeting defeat at any point on the Western circuit. Crown Prince of Athelstane 2d was a prize-win- ner himself, never having been defeated in the show-ring. Mr. Davidson always refused to price him and retained him in service until his death, which occurred at seven years of age. The ' extraordinary success of this Athelstane cross in the States is referred to elsewhere. From 1881 to 1887 Mr. Davidson had prac- tically a monopoly of the handling of such stock as Mr. Cruickshank could spare for the American trade. It would require more space than we have here at our command to enumer- ate even the best of the many massive, thick- fleshed, wide-bodied, short-legged specimens of the Aberdeenshire type transferred to the New World by Mr. Davidson during the period last RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. 689 named. Suffice it to say that the leaders of the movement in behalf of Scotch Short-horns in the States, such as Messrs. Kissinger, Potts, Harris, Cookson, Moffatt and their contempo- raries profited largely by the admirable oppor- tunity presented by Mr. Davidson's extensive operations in Sittyton Short-horns. Hon. John Dryden. — It was in July, 1871, that Hon. John Dryden of Maple Shade Farm, Brooklin, Ontario, one of the most intelligent of all those who have given their adherence to Short-horns in the Dominion, began breeding •and importing cattle of the Cruickshank blood. In that year he was so fortunate as to secure at 120 guineas from Sittyton the now famous Mimulus, by Champion of England, then in her three-year-old form. As has already been shown, this red cow, as the dam of Mr. Cruick- shank's Royal Duke of Gloster, contributed to the Sittyton herd one of its controlling forces. In this same importation was the red heifer Mysie 34th, by Caesar Augustus; the roan three- year-old 12th Duchess of Gloster, by Champion of England; the red cow Butterfly 15th, by Prince Imperial; the roan three-year-old Queen of Beauty, by Senator, and the red bull Stanley (32594), by Caesar Augustus out of Sweet Violet by Lord Stanley. Queen of Beauty cost at Sittyton 110 guineas. She became the gran- dam of the show heifer Beauty's Pride, sold by 44 690 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Mr. Dryden as a calf to Mr. Kissinger and after- ward owned by L. Palmer, at whose sale in Chicago she brought in connection with her bull calf $1,875. Mimulus produced one heifer, that was sold to Messrs. Potts. We are without information, however, as to her career. The imported cow produced several bulls, however, all of which were exceptionally good, the best of them being the roan Barmpton Hero (324 C. H. B.), by imp. Royal Barmpton (45503), sold as a calf to Messrs. Watt of Canada and used in their herd until thirteen years old. He was shown for many years, gaining more than thirty prizes, and was never beaten but once, and then by a bull that he had always defeated on every other occasion. Barmpton Hero, it is claimed, has been the progenitor of more prize stock in Canada in recent years than any other bull of his time. His blood could be traced for several genera- tions among the prize-winners at Toronto and other leading Dominion shows and is to this day a frequent subject of comment in Canada. He inherited the robust constitution of his Sit- tyton ancestors, and one who examined him at twelve years of age says: "I saw him shortly before he went to the butcher, and he was still as spry and active as a kitten." Unfortunately the other sons of Mimulus did not have an equal opportunity for distinguish- RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. 691 ing themselves; as they did not go into herds where they could make an effective impression, Viewed in the light of the accomplishments of Royal Duke of Gloster at Sittyton and of Barmpton Hero in Canada, it will always be a source of regret that the Mimulus blood was not appreciated more thoroughly at the time it was available. Speaking upon this point Mr. Dryden says: "None of us knew the exact value of these animals and of others which have passed through our hands until it was too late." In 1873 Mr. Dryden imported from Sittyton the roan heifer Columbia, by Lord Lancaster (26666), and the great roan bull Royal Barmpton (45503), by Lord Lansdowne (29128) out of But- terfly's Delight by Allan. Royal Barmpton was undoubtedly the best bull Mr. Dryden ever owned or used. He was considered so valua- ble as a sire that it was deemed injudicious to put him in high condition for the shows. He was nevertheless successfully exhibited upon several occasions. He was seen at one of the Provincial shows in even thinner condition than usual, and it was scarcely thought possible that he could head his class, but he was always re- markably smooth and grew on one the more he was examined. In spite of his lack of con- dition he gained first honors in this instance, receiving under the rule of the society at that 692 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. time three times the amount of the prize money on account of his being imported. Royal Barmpton was finally sold to Mr. Jor- dan of Iowa. In 1880 Mr. Dryden bought from Mr. Cruickshank the four heifers Sunbeam, Vio- let Bud, Orange Blossom 30th and Barmpton Violet, together with the bulls Baron Surmise (45933) and Lancaster Royal. Baron Surmise afterward became the property of Col. C. A. DeGraff of Minnesota. Violet Bud was sold to Mr. Kissinger, from whom she was purchased by Col. W. A. Harris. In May, 1881, Mr. Dryden brought out from Sittyton the heifers Victoria 69th (sold to Kissinger and by him to Col. Harris), Corn Flower, Sultana and Flora 17th. In 1882 he imported Lavender 30th, Victoria 72d, Lavender Pride and the bulls Lord Glamis (48192) and Aberdeen Champion (47313). In 1883 the roan heifers Arbutus and Lovely 37th were imported. Mr. Dryden is known throughout Canada as one of the best farmers in the Dominion, and has been called into public life as Minister of Agriculture for the Province of Ontario. He has always maintained the position that Short- horns should be bred for practical and useful purposes, regardless of the whims and fancies of fashion. Believing, with others, that it was inexpedient to endeavor to sustain the Cruick- shank tribes in their purity for an indefinite RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. 693 period, Mr. Dryden was deeply interested in Mr. Edward Cruickshank's experiment at Lethenty in seeking a fresh cross for the Sittyton stock through the medium of the Longmore cows, reference to which is made on page 668. When, therefore, Edward Cruickshank decided to give up breeding on his own account in 1887 Mr. Dryden purchased his herd and imported it into Canada. We quote his own statement as to this herd as follows: It included forty animals— thirty females and ten bulls. Among the bulls were two which were afterward somewhat used in my herd — Sussex, bred at Sittyton, and Patriot, bred at Lethenty. Of the females twenty-four were descendants from purchases at Sittyton and the remaining- six were descendants of the five supe- rior cows bought at the dispersion sale of Mr. Longmore at Rettie, all of thei^ being sired by Sittyton bulls and some having more than one cross. The theory Mr. Ed. Cruickshank had was that from among these cows he would be able with a cross of Sittyton blood to secure a bull or bulls which would nick well with the Cruickshank cattle. This was at a time when Amos Cruickshank himself felt that in-and-in breeding had been continued as far as was prudent, and he also was looking for outside material of this kind. These Longmore cows I saw in Edward Cruickshank's herd some years before and they were splendid animals of great scale and good milking qualities, but with scarcely the early ma- turing qualities which were found in the Sittyton cattle. Of the bulls obtained from Mr. Cruickshank three are worthy of special mention. The most attractive was Red Emperor 71419, by Perfection out of the old Sittyton cow Harmony by Pride of the Isles. Harmony belonged to the Goldie family of Mr. Marr's herd. Red Emperor was sold to L. Miller of Maryville, Mo., and won many prizes in the West. The next was Sussex, belonging to the Secret family, and a very thick and massive animal. An- other bull which has done good service was Pioneer, sold to Mr. W. C. Edwards. He was out of one of the Rettie cows with two or three crosses of Sittyton blood on the top. He was successfully used by Mr. Edwards and was the sire of several prize-winning 694 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. animals. In conversation with Mr. Edwards a few days ago he stated that this was the most successful bull he had had up to the present. Of the Sittyton females at Lethenty two families are worthy of special mention, namely, the Bra with Buds headed by the Sitty- ton cow Grizelda, by Royal Violet. This cow I had seen in the herd some years before and she was perhaps the choice animal at that time. She was an exceedingly steady and good breeder. Two of the best that I imported of that family were Winterberry, sired by Cawdor, used at Sittyton, and Orange Flower, sired by Perfection out of Winterberry. Orange Flower is still one of the herd at Maple Shade. Both these cows were exceptionally low to the ground and of great breadth and splendid heart room. Thsy always deceived every one who undertook to guess their weight. Some of the other animals of the herd which looked very much larger could not bring down the scales near to either of them. Of the Jessie family, represented by the cow Roseberry, bred at Sit- tyton, the two best cows were Brambleberry and Rowanberry, the first by Perfection and the second by Prince Rufus, bred at Lethenty and sired by Perfection. Brambleberry was a splendid cow of considerable scale and low to the ground. Rowanberry was of greater scale and greater length. Of the Rettie lot secured I have always had a leaning for the progeny of the cow Northern Belle. Arthur Johnston.— The importation in 1874 of a pair of Scotch heifers in connection with Mr. Birrell constituted the first investment made by Arthur Johnston of Greenwood in im- ported Short-horns. In 1881 he brought out from Kent, England, the red bull Lewis Arundel 46433, bred by Messrs. Leney & Son. In 1883 he imported the English-bred Statira Duchess 2d and the Scotch-bred bulls Capt. Errant and Bold Buccleuch. In August, 1884, he brought out from Mr. Duthie's the roan bull Eclipse, by Earl of March (33807), and in October of the same year he landed a large and excellent im- RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. 695 portation which included the white Sittyton heifer Allspice, an own sister to the celebrated Field Marshal; four Lancaster heifers bred by Nathaniel Reid of Aberdeenshire; two Clarets, a Nonpareil and two Rosebuds from Kinellar, and eight young bulls, seven of which were of S. Campbell's breeding. Mr. Johnston made several subsequent im- portations and was the owner of the noted roan Cruickshank Victoria bull Indian Chief 98651, the sire of some successful show stock, including the fine roan bull Nonpareil Chief 113034 (a Kinellar Nonpareil), sold to Col. T. S. Moberley of Kentucky, and exhibited in the States. Miscellaneous Canadian importations. — In 1871 W. B. Telfer of Fergus imported the heif- ers Duchess of Kent and Royal Alice from the herd of W. Chalmers of Old What, Aberdeen- shire, and the bull His Royal Highness (28860) from same herd. In 1874 W. Major of White dale imported five heifers and two bulls from the herd of James Currie, Halkerston, near Edinburgh, followed in 1875 by a shipment of three heifers from the herd of J. W. Phillips, Staffordshire, England, and one from the Berke- ley Castle herd of Lord Fitzhardinge. In 1874 Messrs. Birrell & Johnston of Green- wood brought out from Uppermill the dark-roan yearling heifer Alexandrina 6th, and from the 696 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. herd of James Bruce of Burnside the red year- ling Priscilla 7th, by Lord St. Leonards, a half- sister to imp. Duke of Richmond (21525). In 1875 William Collum of Haysville imported Aggie Buckingham and Airy Buckingham, of Amos Cruickshank's breeding; the heifers Dor- othy and Viscountess 2d, bred by John Law of Aberdeenshire, and the bull Liberator, bred by Robert Bruce. . In 1883 Thomas Russell of Exeter brought out the heifers Border Charm and Border Pride, of William Duthie's breeding, along with two other heifers from the herds of A. Davidson and John Johnson, and the red bull Lord Ythan, bred by Mr. Duthie from the Cruick- shank bull Shapinshay out of Lovely 25th. In May, 1883, Francis Green of Innerkip made an important importation, including Mysie 34th, bred by A. Scott of Towie Barclay; Jewel 8th, Countess 5th and Eliza 9th, from Mr. Duthie's; Clematis, from Sittyton; Princess Royal 23d, in calf to Athabasca, Patchouli, Clara 40th, and the bull Earl of Mar (47815), of the Emma tribe, from Mr. Marr's. In 1884 Green Bros, of Innerkip imported four heifers from the North of Scotland and the bulls Enterprise and Earl of Roseberry from the herds of Messrs. Duthie and Marr re- spectively. Beginning with 1878 and continu- ing until 1882, Mr. George Whitfield shipped BJSS OF SCOTCH POW^E Itt AMERICA. 697 out to his farm at Rougemont, Quebec, some h'fty head of Short-horns from various Scotch, English and Irish herds. But while these rep- resented some of the best British blood, they scarcely received that attention at Rougemont necessary to render them of special value to American herds. They were finally scattered without having left much impress on the trade. The lies importation into Illinois. — The first direct importation of Aberdeenshire cat- tle into the Western States, with the exception of the pair included in the Illinois Importing Co.'s shipment of 1857, was selected by one of America's most famous herdsmen, David Grant, for Mr. Edward lies of Springfield, 111., in August, 1874. Rarely has it ever fallen to the lot of one man to buy two such celebrities in embryo as were developed from this small purchase of six head. There was but one bull in the lot, but he proved a maker of history. This was Duke of Richmond 21525, of Bruce's breeding. There was but one Cruickshank heifer in the lot — Orange Blossom 18th, by Viceroy (32764) out of Orange Blossom 14th by Knight of the Whistle (26558); second dam Orange Blossom 12th by Prince Imperial (22595). Both of these animals were yearlings at the time of their importation. Both were sold to J. H. Kissinger; the Duke at the Ameri- can record price of $4,500 for a Scotch bull and 698 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. the heifer at $2,500. The latter was bought later on by Mrs. Kimberly of Iowa at the record price for a Scotch female of $3,500. It thus ap- pears that these two yearlings reached a com- bined value of $8,000. Concerning Orange Blossom 18th Mr. Kissin- ger says: "She was a great heifer, a splendid specimen of her noble race; a very short- legged, thick, heavy-fleshed animal, such as it was my delight to handle. I considered her one of the best heifers that ever crossed the waters or was ever bred by that grand old man- Amos Cruickshank."* In the herd of J. H. Potts & Son the Duke of Richmond scored such a success both as a sire and show bull that he is generally credited with having contributed as much toward mak- ing the reputation of Scotch sires in America as any other one animal ever imported. In addition to the celebrated animals named Mr. lies imported Missie 40th from Uppermill and the heifers Flora 3d, Flora 7th and Flora *Orai7ge Blossom 18th undoubtedly owed her extraordinary merit very largely to her sire, Viceroy, that was got by Champion of England out of the great show cow Violet's Forth. The bull Knight of the Whistle that sired her dam was a roan, bred by Mr. Foljambe of Osberton Hall, and got by the Booth bull Knight of the Garter (23062). It will be noted that the second dam was sired by the Booth bull Prince Imperial (22595). Notwith- standing this fact, Mr. Cruickshank always claimed that his herd never received the benefit he had anticipated from the Booth blood. His experi- ence with Bites blood, as it came in through cows purchased for the herd, did not induce him to place a very high estimate upon that for his pur- poses. As we must accept his judgment upon both of these points— so far as it applies to his own work— arrived at after careful trial, it seems clear that Orange Blossom 18th derived her excellence from her sire's side of the house. RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. 699 Belle, bred by J. Gordon, Cluny Castle, Aber- deenshire. Robert Milne of Kelvin Grove. — Following the lies importation there came the same year from Sittyton a carefully-chosen and exceed- ingly valuable lot, consisting of seven females and one bull, selected just at the right time to secure the richest of the Cruickshank blood. The great Aberdeenshire herd was then near- ing its period of highest excellence. Mr. Milne was a native Aberdonian who enjoyed the friendship and respect of Mr. Cruickshank, and there can be no doubt that he secured in this importation some of the very best cattle ever sent to American shores. He had been breed- ing Short-horns at his Kelvin Grove Farm, near Lockport, 111., for many years; in fact, he was one of the pioneer breeders of the State of his adoption. Like Amos Cruickshank, he held that the Short-horn's chief mission was to con- vert the ordinary foodstuffs of the farm into prime beef at a profit to his owner. Substance, constitution* and thrift were with him cardinal points, and in this admirable selection from Sittyton those characteristics found full exem- plification. We believe that the animals were picked by Mr. Cruickshank himself with a view toward furnishing Mr. Milne with a foundation stock that should represent the best Sittyton type. 700 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. The bull selected was the red Viscount 18507, calved in 1872, and sired by Lord Lansdowne (29128) out of the good cow Red Violet by Allan (21272); second dam the famous Violet by Lord Bathurst (13173). Lord Lansdowne was by Caesar Augustus, descending on the dam's side through the Lovelys. Viscount's development exceeded Mr. Milne's most san- guine expectations. He matured into a bull of extraordinary breadth of body and depth of flesh. Indeed it is doubtful if a better sire has been known in Western Short-horn herds; his get inheriting his substance and capacity for laying on flesh even to the second and third generations; his daughters and granddaughters in the herds of Messrs. Milne, Aldrich of Tis- kilwa, and Cummings of Buda possessing great scale and thickness and were frequently heavy milkers. The females of this importation were as fol- lows: The roan Butterfly 34th; the red Butter- fly 37th, by Champion of England; the roan Corianda, out of the great Carmine Rose by Champion of England; the red Secrecy, by the greatest son of Champion of England — Grand Duke of Gloster (26288); the red Bridal Flower, by Scotland's Pride out of Bride Elect by Lord Raglan; the red Glitter, out of a Brawith Bud cow by Champion of England, and the roan Autumn Flower, out of Autumn Leaf by Cham- RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. 701 pion of England. Mr. Cruickshank must have parted with this richly-bred consignment with extreme reluctance, but he never did a better stroke of business, so far as building up Ameri- can trade was concerned, than when he for- warded these to Illinois. Many of the best show and breeding cattle of the past twenty years in this country have carried the blood of this Robert Milne importation. Lowman and Smiths' importations. — Rank- ing well up with the Robert Milne purchases, and exceeding the Kelvin Grove lot in numbers, the shipments of Sittyton and Uppermill stock made by Mr. Davis Lowman and Messrs. Smith of Toulon, 111., in 1875 and 1876 hold a place in Western Short-horn history second to few other importations of the century. The first lot, brought out in June, 1875, included the roan Lovely 18th, the red Butterflys 45th and 46th from Mr. Cruickshank's, and Missie 35th, Goldy 18th and Red Lady 3d from Mr. Marr's, beside Geraldine 7th, bred by J. Cochrane of Little Haddo. Mr. A. J. Dunlap of Galesburg, 111., bought Lovely 18th at $1,010 and Butterfly 46th at $850. For Red Lady 3d Messrs. Pickrell gave $1,200, and for Missie 35th Edward lies paid $635. Butterfly 45th and Goldie 18th were sold to John Bond, Abingdon, 111. The shipment of 1876 included Orange Blossom 25th from Sitty- ton, that was sold to L. Hanna of Waveland, 702 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Ind., for $705, and afterward became the prop- erty of Aaron Plumley of West Liberty, la. There also came out on the same ship, as the individual property of Mr. Lowman, a roan heifer known as Victoria 51st, bred at Sittyton and sired by Royal Duke of Gloster (29684) out of a daughter of Victoria 39th by Champon of England. This heifer was sold soon after im- portation to Mr. Verry Aldrich of Tiskilwa, 111., for $600, and became the ancestress of one of the best families of Cruickshank cattle of which there is record in this country. Her daughters and granddaughters were grand, big, massive cows, with wonderful backs, great depth, re- markable wealth of flesh, and were frequently fine milkers. One branch of this family passed into the possession of Messrs. Cummings, Buda, 111., and later acquired great reputation in the herds of Messrs. Sanger of Waukesha, Wis., Col. W. A. Harris of Linwood and C. B. Dustin of Summer Hill, 111. The champion show cow Victoria of Hickory Park, of this line, was one of the finest types of finish, flesh and substance ever seen in Western shows. She died a few years since, the property of Messrs. Dustin. This shipment was also remarkable as includ- ing the good breeding cow Emma 3d, of Upper- mill breeding, that was bought by Messrs. Potts for $700. In their possession she lived to an ad- vanced age, giving birth to many high-class RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. 708 animals, among others the celebrated twin show heifers Emma 4th and Emma 5th. Missie39th, of Mr. Marr's breeding, and Sybil 13th, from Sittyton, were also of this lot. Scotch success at the shows. — Col. William S. King had given the Western States an ink- ling as to the superior flesh and substance of the Scotch type of cattle, and J. H. Kissinger of Missouri, Messrs. Day of Iowa, and some of their contemporaries had carried the demon- stration of their feeding quality to a convinc- ing conclusion. About 1877 the Herefords were pressing hard for recognition at the great National shows, and those who bore the brunt of the assault in behalf of the Short-horns found in the North Country tribes a class of cattle that had the constitution to withstand heavy feeding, and that possessed the requisite capacity for taking on flesh at an early age. Potts and the Duke of Richmond. — Fore- most among those who contested every inch of the Hereford advance of that period stood John H. Potts & Son of Oakland Farm, Jacksonville, 111. Mr. Potts had made a modest beginning in 1868 by the purchase of the cow Belle More- land, tracing on the dam's side to imp. Amelia by Plato. She carried a cross of the blood of the Sanders importation of 1817, and, although a cow of great individual merit, was purchased at the low price of $95. Within six years $1,800 704 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. worth of her descendants had been sold. Mr. Potts had the good fortune early in his career to secure the valuable show and breeding bull Master Geneva 20368, bred in Kentucky and sired by Prince Geneva, of Ben Bedford's Des- demona blood, out of the White Rose cow Fan- nie 2d by Stonewall Jackson 12988. An illustration of this bull appears in Vol. XIV of the American Herd Book. He was a red weigh- ing in show condition 2,500 Ibs., and it was with a herd headed by him that Messrs, Potts first engaged in the show business; their initial ap- pearance being at the Illinois State Fair at Peoria in 1874. Master Geneva was a capital stock-getter, and Mr. A. J. Dunlap once offered $2,500 for him. In May, 1876, Messrs. Potts bought the famous imported Scotch-bred bull Duke of Richmond 21525 from J. H. Kissinger. He was a red, calved in 1873, bred by James Bruce of Burn- side, Fochabers, Scotland, sired by Lord St. Leonards (29202) out of Fannie by Royal Errant (22780). His sire, Lord St. Leonards, was a roan, bred by Fawkes of Farneley Hall. Royal Errant was of the Duke of Buccleucti's breeding, and was the sire .of many celebrated show cattle, among others the bull Scotsman (27435), a win- ner at the English Royal, imported by Mr. Coch- rane and famous in the celebrated Lyndale show herd of Col. William S. King. The Duke RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. 705 of Richmond had been imported by Mr. lies of Springfield in 1874 as a yearling, and was shown for him by J. H. Pickrell at the fall fairs of that year. He was a youngster of such unusual promise that Messrs. 'Kissinger and Spears both wanted him. for their show herds. He had cost Mr. lies $800, but the competition for his pos- session in the fall of 1875 was so keen that Mr. Kissinger was compelled to pay $4,500 for him, in addition to giving six services valued at 150 each. In the spring of 1876 Mr. Kissinger de- cided to disperse his show stock, and it was then that Messrs. Potts acquired the bull at $2,250, besides the show cow Mattie Richardson and other noted animals. Duke of Richmond was of medium size, but carried a rare wealth of thick flesh in compact form. He had breadth and depth without superfluous height, and dur- ing the campaigns of 1876 and 1877 proved fairly invincible. Mr. Potts had purchased in 1875 the imported Scotch-bred heifer Priscilla 7th, also bred by Bruce of Burnside and got by Lord St. Leonards the sire of Duke of Rich- mond, and had also acquired the imported Cruickshank cow Red Lady. At the Illinois State Fair of 1877 Mr. C. M. Culbertson exhibited the strongest herd of Herefords yet seen in the United States, with the famous bull Anxiety at its head. Grave fears were entertained in the Short-horn camp 45 706 HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. that the "white-faces" might bear away the herd championship, and had it not been for the stock of Messrs. Potts they would undoubtedly have accomplished that trick. The herd which thus successfully defended the honor of the breed at a crucial period in its history consisted of imp. Duke of Richmond, his half-sister, imp. Priscilla 7th; two daughters of Master Geneva, Josie 2d (a Pomona) and Geneva's Pride (trac- ing to imp. Julia by Young Grant); Mattie Richardson, an Amelia of Kissinger's breeding, and Cassa 20th, a Rosabella, sired by Leonard's Monarch. It is difficult for breeders of the present day to realize the tension that existed in these first great show-yard battles with the Herefords in the West. The "white-faces" were then a comparative novelty on this side of the water and some were predicting that they would soon supplant the Short-horns en- tirely. It was felt that a serious situation con- fronted the Short-horn breeding fraternity, and on this account it is difficult to overestimate the value of the service rendered at that time by the Messrs. Potts. The Fanny Airdrie "nick."— Fortunately the Duke of Richmond proved a most impres- sive sire. Mated with American-bred cows pos- sessing scale and finish, he gave Western show- yards and breeding herds a class of stock of such undoubted merit for the feed-lot and the RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. 707 block that for many years his descendants in the hands of Messrs. Potts and their contempo- raries figured conspicuously in the prize lists of all the leading State fairs and fat-stock shows. While the Duke of Richmond was backed up in the herd by the' Marr-bred Emmas, the Sans- pareils, and later by capital Cruickshank cows and bulls, the creation of the Fannie Airdries by the "nick" of Richmond blood upon a Young Mary cow bred at James N. Brown's Sons' Grove Park Farm, supplied sweeping proof of the value of the "beefy" Scotch-bred bull as a cross upon the native tribes. These Fannies were thick-meated, wide-backed, fine-boned, low-legged Short-horns, quite the equal of the best Scotch sorts ^s individuals, and possessed the faculty of breeding on satisfactorily from one generation to another. The red bull Proud Duke 36660, got by the imported bull out of old Fannie Airdrie, the matron of the family, not only won many first and championship prizes but was successfully crossed upon the Sittyton Lavenders at Oakland, one branch of which has proved such a valuable sort in the Hill Farm herd of Messrs. Dustin. Frederick William and "the twins." — An- other famous son of the Duke of Richmond was the massive red Frederick William 23195, out of Sanspareil 25th. He was the sire of the far- famed twin show cows Emma 4th and Emma 708 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. 5th, bred by Messrs. Potts from Emma 3d, im- ported from Uppermill. The twins were red cows of great scale and substance and won- derful flesh-carriers. For several seasons they were the best Short-horn cows on the show cir- cuit. Frederick William was also exhibited with success by Messrs. Potts as well as by the late Robert Miller of West Liberty, la. A line of Cruickshank sires. — These bulls were followed in service by the imported Cruickshank sires Antiquary 49774, a large, deep-bodied red, sired by Pride of the Isles out of Azalea, the dam of Field Marshal; Von Tromp 54160, a massive, broad-ribbed Victoria by Barmpton, that won many first and cham- pionship prizes, and King of Aberdeen 75747, a thick-fleshed, short-legged red of the Violet tribe sired by Dunblane 65995. King of Aber- deen was one of the last of the good bulls of Amos Cruickshank's own breeding used in the West. All these were supplied by James I. Davidson of Canada. Twenty years in the show-yard. — For a period of twenty years the Potts herd was seen almost continuously in the show-yard; meeting during that time all of the great contemporary Short-horn herds besides the Hereford and Aberdeen-Angus host, and it is speaking within bounds to say that during these two decades the Oakland herd probably won more prizes RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. 709 than any other cattle-breeding establishment in North America. .It is but justice to add that in the triumphal tours of the "seventies" a considerable share of the credit for success was due to the skill of Mr. Harry Loveland as a feeder. Loveland was one of the recognized experts of his time in the United States in this line of work, and had come to Oakland from the herd of Rigdon Huston & Sons, Blandins- ville, 111. He subsequently entered the employ of the Hereford exhibitors and repeated with Beau Real and other "white-faces" his suc- cesses with Short-horns. For the major portion of the time, however, that the Jacksonville herd was in the thick of the fight it was under the immediate personal supervision of Mr. William T. Potts (the son), under whose alert direction the Oakland Short-horns rounded out a record at American fairs and fat-stock shows that has not been surpassed in the annals of American cattle-breeding. The Wilhoit herd.— In a previous chapter we have referred to Mr. Thomas Wilhoit, one of the pioneer breeders of the State of Indiana. A cross of the Scotch blood upon his herd in the later years of his breeding produced such extraordinary results that the circumstance must be here recognized as another one of the various causes leading up to the popularity of the North Country Short-horns in the West. 710 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. One of James I. Davidson's lucky "hits" in crossing the Douglas upon the Cruickshank blood was in the case of imp. Red Lady, by Scotland's Pride. Bred to Crown Prince of Athelstane 2d 16585, she produced Lady Athel- stane, that became the property of the Messrs. Potts. She, in turn, was bred to imp. Duke of Richmond, the progeny in 1880 being the bull Knight of Athelstane 2d 39545, that was sold to Mr. Wilhoit. Representing, as he did, one of the richest combinations of prize-winning blood conceivable at that time, it seemed almost in- evitable that this bull should prove a getter of the kind of stock Mr. Wilhoit had always en- deavored to produce ; and his use upon the Wil- hoit cows marks one of the brightest chapters in American Short-horn history. He seemed to fairly transmit the combined merit of his illus- trious progenitors, and his immediate descend- ants were for many years the pride of the en- tire Short-horn cattle-breeding fraternity. As in the case of his sire, the Duke of Richmond, Knight of Athelstane 2d seemed to "nick" par- ticularly well with Young Mary cows, the Ath- elstane bulls representing that cross, shown in the "eighties" by Mr. Wilhoit, being marvels of substance and flesh. Thomas Wilhoit must be regarded as one of the great breeders of his time. A practical man and of few words, he had a profound grasp RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. 711 of the principles underlying the production of good cattle. Moreover, he had the courage of his convictions. While the storm of specu- lation was at its height he steadfastly stood by the herd which he had created by the applica- tion of sound principles of breeding. The sub- stance of his creed, as condensed by himself in a brief statement made in response to inquiries at an Indianapolis convention of cattle-breed- ers, was contained in the following words: "Thick-fleshed cattle will produce thick- fleshed cattle." This was his way of stating the maxim that "like begets like." He did not expect to produce profitable cattle with richly- furnished carcasses from animals of a delicate, light-fleshed type, and had laid the foundation for a class of stock possessing great constitu- tion and thrift prior to his carefully-consid- ered selection of the great Bruce-and-Douglas- crossed Cruickshank bull that set the final seal of an extraordinary success upon his long and useful career as a breeder of Short-horn cattle. CHAPTER XXII. CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. The salient feature of the trade on both sides of the Atlantic during the closing years of the nineteenth century has been a gradual liquida- tion of what might be termed speculative hold- ings and a widespread resort . to the use of bulls of the Cruickshank and kindred blood. Some of the more notable events occurring during this transition period will now be re- corded. Sale of the Hillhurst Duchesses. — In the spring of 1882 Hon. M. H. Cochrane of Hillhurst decided upon a dispersion sale of his Duchesses and other Bates-bred stock. The event oc- curred at Chicago April 18 of that year. The cattle were offered in the pink of condition and were of most attractive character. The Duchess consignment consisted of the famous Woodburn-bred 10th Duchess of Airdrie and some of her descendants. A cow of good in- dividual merit herself, the . 10th Duchess proved a prolific breeder, transmitting much of her own excellence, as well as a good measure of her fecundity, to her progeny. Those who (712) CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 713 were interested in the maintaining of values for cattle of this breeding were forced to get behind this offering, and the result was the great average of $2,081.25 upon twenty-three head. The old 10th Duchess, in calf, but known to be a hazardous risk, fell into the pos- session of Maj. S. E. Ward of Westport, Mo., at $1,350. The Canada West Farm Stock Asso- ciation was the heaviest buyer, taking the 9th Duchess of Hillhurst at $8,500, the 10th at $7,100, the llth at $4,700, and Airdrie Duchess at $7,100. The '8th Duke of Hillhurst sold at $3,025, and became the property of Col. C. A. DeGraff, Janesville, Minn. Messrs. Palmer & Bowman, proprietors of an extensive herd at Saltville, Va., purchased Kirklevington Mar- chioness 2d at $3,525. Richard Gibson's sale of 1882. — A number of imported Bates-bred cattle were sold at auc- tion by Richard Gibson at Chicago April 21, 1882, at good prices. The pure Bates heifer Duchess Wild Eyes was bought by Bigstaff, Bascom & Berry of Kentucky at $4,000. Mr. Bigstaff paid $3,200 for Rowfant Kirklev- ington 5th. B. C. Rumsey purchased Lady York and Thorndale Bates 6th at $1,050 and S. White, Windsor, Ont., Kirklevington Duchess 27th at $1,575. For Wild Eyes Winsome 4th H. F. Brown gave $1,850. Hon. Emory Cobb took the bull Oxford Duke (45297) at $2,000. 714 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. There was included in this offering a consign- ment the property of Mr. John T. Gibson and the average on forty-nine head offered was 1602.45. This sale was of special interest as reflecting the intention of the Kentucky breed- ers to put the market for the so-called pure Bates cattle well above the ruling prices for those carrying outcrosses. Woodburn sale of 1882. — In the spring of 1882 Mr. A. J. Alexander, in connection with Mr. Leslie Combs of Woodford Co., Ky., im- ported about twenty head of Bates-bred cows and heifers and two bulls, selected from noted English herds by Mr. Combs. A majority of the females were of the old Red Rose tribe, de- scended from the Renick Rose of Sharons that had been exported to England some years pre- vious. These were bought mainly from the herd of Mr. George Fox of Elmhurst Hall. In addi- tion to these were representatives of the Hey- don Rose and Thorndale Rose branches of the same tribe, bought from Lord Braybrooke. The cattle were offered at auction at Woodburn June 24, 1882, along with a lot of Mr. Alexander's own breeding; the ninety-two head bringing an av- erage of $455.10. Mr. Abram Renick, who was then nearing the end of his career as a breeder, was present and made a determined effort to buy the big, fine imported roan Thorndale Rose 8th for the purpose of breeding a bull from her for CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 715 use upon his Rose of Sharon herd. He made a plucky fight, carrying the bidding up to $5,600, but at that point relinquished her to a repre- sentative of Mr. Alexander, the latter having reserved the right to bid upon the partnership lots. Failing in his purpose at this time Mr. Renick afterward bought and used a bull, 4th Duke of Roses 86034, produced by this cow at Woodburn to a service by 2d Duke of Whittle- berry 62574, a Duchess bull that had been im- ported from the herd of R. Loder. Mr. Alex- ander also bought at this sale 30th Grand Duke, a calf from Thorndale Rose 8th, at $2,025, be- sides Thorndale Rose 16th and Heydon Rose 7th at $4,000 and $1,800 respectively. At this same sale S. C. Duncan of Missouri gave $1,100 for 30th Duke of Airdrie; Mr. T. W. Harvey of Chicago buying the 33d Duke of Airdrie, a cap- ital red two-year-old, at $2,650, and Mr. N". P. Clarke the 34th Duke at $2,700. For imp. Vis- count Oxford 5th (45744) Messrs. Palmer & Bow- man of Virginia gave $1,025.* * At a sale held at Winchester the following week VanMeter & Hamil- ton sold sixty-nine head of Short-horns at an average of $395.35, including the Rose of Sharon females Poppy 17th, Poppy's Duchess of Sycamore and 13th Rose of Sycamore, the first going to Palmer & Bowman at $2,025 and the second and third to T. J. McGowan of Mount Sterling at $1,275 and $1,200 respectively. The day following this sale the Messrs. Hamilton sold at Mount Sterling forty-five head at an average of $368, Williams & Hamilton taking Loo Belle Geneva 3d at $1,675, Kirklevington Oneida at $1,525 and 2d Lady Kirklevington B. at $1,100. The day following this offering T. Corwin Anderson sold forty-four head at an average of $419.65, receiving from Williams & Hamilton $1,525 for Kirklevington Marchioness and $1,050 for Peach Blossom 12th. H. M. Vaile of Missouri gave $1,150 for Kirklevington Duchess 23d and C. C. Chiles, also of Missouri, took Peach Blossom llth a' $1,263 716 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. The Huston-Gibson sale. — In April, 1883, Messrs. Rigdon Huston & Son of Blanclinsville, 111., who had bought the entire Bates-bred herd of Col. Le G. B. Cannon of Vermont, held a sale at Chicago in connection with Mr. Rich- ard Gibson at which some high prices were made. The 1st Duchess of Hilldale and 2d Kirklevington Duchess of Hilldale were sold to Strawther Givens of Abingdon, 111., at $6,000 and $1,900 respectively. The roan heifer Lally Barrington 6th was taken by Mr. A. J. Alex- ander of Woodburn at $3,000. N. P. Clarke, St. Cloud, Minn., bought Wild Duchess of Ge- neva 3d at $2,100. William Murray of Can- ada paid $1,650 for Wild Eyes Lassie 3d. The Messrs. Winslow of Kankakee, 111., gave $1,750 for Grand Duchess of Waterloo. B. C. Rumsey, Buffalo, N. Y., took Lady Turncroft Wild Eyes 3d and Lady York and Oxford Bates at $1,500 and $1,200 respectively. Mr. T. W. Harvey of Chicago, who had established a herd at Turling- ton, Neb., with 33d Duke of Airdrie at the head, bought Marchioness of Turncroft and Wild Eyes Winsome 3d at $1,200 and $1,050 respec- tively. Hon. Emory Cobb of Kankakee, 111., took Grand Duchess of Waterloo 2d and Lady York and Underley Bates at $975 and $800 re- spectively. George Allen, Allerton, 111., paid $3,500 for 1st Duke of Hilldale 43429. Gibson's offering consisted mainly of imported stock. CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 717 Palmer's sale of Scotch cattle. — On April 19, 1883, there occurred an unfortunate clash between the Bow Park management repre- senting Bates cattle on one hand and the late Launcelot Palmer of Missouri, who had been a buyer and exhibitor of the Aberdeen- shire sorts. The feeling at this time between the rival types was running high, and as neither party to this conflict of sale dates would give way, the occurrence furnished a test as to the prevailing temper of Northern breeders in reference to the Bates and Scotch cattle. The Bow Park sale was held at Glen Flora Farm, a short distance north of Chicago, and the Palmer sale at Dexter Park, Chicago Union Stock Yards. The most active breeders of the period favored the Palmer sale with their com- pany, forcing the three-year-old heifer Mysie 43d, of James I. Davidson's breeding — sired by Crown Prince of Athelstane 2d 16585 out of imp. Mysie 36th of Mr. Cruickshank's breed- ing— up to 11,950, at which figure she was bid off by Col. Harris for account of Chas. A. De- Graff of Lake Elysian Farm, Janesville, Minn. De Graff had for several years been a pa- tron of the Bates herds, but in the fall of 1882 had bought from the Hon. John Dryden the imported Scotch bull Baron Surmise. He also took the imported Cruickshank cow Art- less out of this sale at $1,025. Mr. Robert 718 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Miller purchased Evening Star 2d, anothei specimen of the Crown Prince of Athelstane 2d cross upon a Cruickshank cow, at $1,000. Mr. T. W. Harvey, who had also been consid- ered as partial to the Bates blood, appeared here as a bidder upon the best Scotch cattle, buying among others the Brawith Bud cow Golden Gem at $910. Col. W. A. Harris pur- chased imp. Barmpton Violet at $780; Mr. H. F. Brown took the red heifer Lady May at $750; J. H. Kissinger bought Nonpareil 40th at $930, and Hon. Pliny Nichols of West Liberty, la., became the owner of the two-year-old bull Earl of Aberdeen 45992 at $1,000. The twenty- five head of Scotch breeding sold at this sale averaged about $625. While the Palmer cattle were selling quickly at high prices to a large and enthusiastic crowd at Dexter Park, the Bow Park sale was in prog- ress at Glen Flora before a small company. Some appreciative buyers were present never- theless, Mr. A. J. Alexander purchasing the red- roan Oxford heifer Grand Duchess of Oxford 52d at $2,050, and Strawther Givens of Illinois Kirk- levington Duchess 25th at $1,400. A majority of the cattle, however, sold below 1500, the thirty-six head making an average of $325.55. Kentucky Importing Company of 1883. In the spring of 1883 Messrs. B. F. Van Meter and Leslie Combs, representing the Kentucky CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 719 Importing Co., selected and brought out from England an importation of thirty-four head of cows and heifers and two bulls, a large majority of which were purchased in Scotland from the herds of Messrs. Cruickshank, Duthie and the Duke of Richmond. These were the only Short- horns of the Aberdeenshire tribes ever imported direct from Scotland into Kentucky. A half- dozen head of Bates females were also included in the importation, the entire lot being sold at auction at Lexington May 9 at an average of $402.50. The Bates heifer Lady Wild Eyes 7th topped the sale at $1,000, going at that figure to Woodburn. The Scotch offerings ranged up to $700, paid for the yearling bull Favorite 56041 from Collynie. This bull and a number of the Scotch heifers were bought by Messrs. Danforth and Veech of Louisville, who bred them for a short time and then disposed of most of them to Messrs. Cummings of Illinois and other Northern breeders. Sale of Pickrell. Thomas & Smith.— Mr. J. H. Pickrell had meantime formed a partner- ship with Messrs. Thomas & Smith of Kentucky and the firm occupied a prominent position in the trade in the early "eighties." The herd was particularly strong in the Beck Taylor branch of the Young Mary tribe, which sup- plied many prize-winners. It was also rich in Rose of Sharons. At a sale made in June, 720 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. 1883, at Harristown, 111., the firm sold seventy- two head at an average of $419.79. Messrs. Hawkins & McDaniel of Miami, Mo., gave $1,100 for the two-year-old bull Sharon Geneva and T. W. Harvey paid $1,000 for Red Rose of Glen- wood. It was at this sale that Messrs. C. C. Blish & Son, Kewanee, 111., purchased the red bull calf Dick Taylor of Glenwood at $300. He matured into a good show bull and sire, being successfully exhibited at the head of the Blish herds at leading Western fairs for several years and also siring many good cattle in their Lee Side Herd. This Harristown sale was not- able for the steadiness of the values main- tained. A large proportion of the offerings made from $400 to $600 each and the high av- erage merit of the stock was the theme of uni- versal comment. Kentucky summer sales of 1883.— The breeders of the blue-grass country remained loyal to the Bates blood to the last. They were never able to entirely forget the service rendered by imp. Duke of Airdrie (12730), and even at this period when Northern breeders were showing a marked preference for the Scotch type the Kentuckians sustained their interest in the historic Kirklevington families. They were not only the most liberal bidders on all Bates cattle offered for sale in the Northern States during the " eighties" but stood together CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 721 at home whenever representatives of their fa- vorite blood were offered at auction. In July, 1883, Mr. J. V. Grigsby sold a fam- ily of pure Bates-Craggs breeding, a sort origi- nated by the Messrs. Bell, tenants of Mr. Bates, for one of which, 12th Duchess of Crethmere, the Messrs. Hamilton of Mount Sterling gave $1,350. For 1st Duchess of Crethmere Mr. T. Corwin Anderson of Side View Farm gave $1,000, and for 10th Duchess of Springwood Hon. A. M. Bowman of Virginia gave a like amount. A number of others were taken by Southern breeders at figures but slightly below those mentioned, the sixteen females averaging $855.93. At a sale made about the same date by Messrs. Estill & Hamilton the Rose of Sharon heifer Sharon Rose 2d Geneva fetched $1,000 from James C. Hamilton of Flat Creek. During this same season an important sale was made from the herd of Abram Renick. The cattle represented exclusively his cele- brated Rose of Sharon sort, and were taken mainly by Kentucky breeders, the seventy head bringing an average of $369.64. The top price was $1,050 for Poppy 21st. Sale of the Holford Duchesses. — In the summer of 1883 Mr. T. Holford of Castle Hill, Eng., sold thirty-eight head of Bates -bred Short-horns at an average of $1,000; Lord Fitz- hardinge paying $4,500 for the 3d Duke of Lei- 46 722 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. cester and $5,750 for 3d Duchess of Leicester. Earl Bective bought Duchess of Leicester at $7,525, and Airdrie Duchess 7th, of American origin, at 12,500. Mr. B. C. Rumsey of Buffalo, N. Y., purchased the 6th Duchess of Leicester for $1,775. Speaking of Duchesses we may note at this point that during this same year the 8th Duke of Tregunter that had been exported to Aus- tralia was sold at auction in that country at a reported price of $20,000! The Hamiltons. — Probably the largest han- dlers of pure-bred Short-horns of their time in the State of Kentucky were the Messrs. Ham- ilton, extensive owners of lands in Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri, the home farm being at Flat Creek, Bath Co., Ky., not far from Mount Sterling. Upon this farm resided the broth- ers, George and James C. Hamilton, the latter being regarded as a breeder of unusual skill. Short-horns had been introduced upon Flat Creek Farm at an early date, and when the herd first came prominently before the public it was chiefly noted for its Marys and Jo- sephines. The foundation dam of the most noted Ham- ilton family, the Flat Creek Marys, was the roan Belle, bred by William Buckner of Bour- bon Co., Ky., and bought of him in the spring of 1861 by J. C. arid G. Hamilton. According to CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 723 the herd book record (Vol. XX, p. 15482) she proved remarkably prolific, most of her heif- ers being sired by the Rose of Sharon bull Bell Sharon 9507 by imp. Duke of Airdrie. In numerous cases Bell Sharon was bred back to his own daughters. Other bulls used in found- ing the family were Earl of Barrington 23017 and Duke of Noxubee 9920.* Messrs. Hamil- ton were, advocates of the principle of in- breeding from the beginning, and double crosses of these bulls appear frequently in the pedigrees of many animals of their produc- tion. It was calculated in the spring of 1884 by the Messrs. Hamilton that sales of this Mary cow's descendants had at that time ag- gregated in value upward of $100,000! On the decline in values of Bates tribes Messrs. Hamilton became buyers of Duchesses, Kirklevingtons, Barringtons, Renick Rose of Sharons, etc., breeding largely from Duchess and Barrington bulls, included among the num- ber being imp. Grand Duke of Geneva 23344 and 20th Duke of Airdrie 13872. The late Mr. A. L. Hamilton, son of George Hamilton and son-in-law of B. F. Van Meter, was the leading *Duke of Noxubee appears to have been bred by Mr. Simeon Orr of Mississippi. He was descended from the Bates-bred cow imp. Darlington 6th by 4th Duke of Oxford. A foot-note in a catalogue issued by Messrs. Sudduth & Redmon of Clark Co., Ky., many years ago, contained the rather remarkable statement that this bull was " a remarkable breeder, getting fine calves since he was eighteen years old." This astonishing statement, however, lacks confirmation. 724 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. spirit in the extensive operations of the Messrs. Hamilton at the time they were so prominently before the public some fifteen years ago. He had a brother, W. W., who also handled the Flat Creek tribes, and a member of a collateral branch of the Hamilton family, Col. A. W. Ham- ilton, also dealt largely in Bates-bred cattle in partnership with the late Gen. John S. Williams under the firm name of Williams & Hamilton, Longwood Farm, Mount Sterling. Largely through the skill and judgment of Mr. James C. Hamilton — whose patriarchal appearance and kindly ways earned for him in his later years the universally applied title of "Uncle Jimmy" — the home herd at Flat Creek attained a degree of individual merit that gave it great prominence among the leading collections of the breed, and it received an extended patron- age from the North and West. Mr. A. L. Hamilton, who had established him- self on a farm near Lexington, to which he gave the name of Kirklevington — as expressing his adherence to Bates blood — held an auction sale June 11 and 12, 1884, which attracted one of the largest crowds ever seen at an event of that character in the West. The proprietor was in very feeble health at the time, and this was made the occasion of the dispersion of a large proportion of his Short-horn holdings. The sale continued for two days under the manage- CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 725 ment of the well-known auctioneers, Cols. J. W. Judy and L. P. Muir.* An extraordinary average was made. The roan Airdrie Duchess 2d was bid off for Mr. Hamilton's brother at $4,225. Mr. Logan 0. Swope of Independence, Mo., took the roan heifer 2d Duchess of Flat Creek at $7,000, 4th Duchess of Flat Creek at $5,075, Barrington Lally 2d at $2,025, 4th Duch- ess of Kent at $4,700 and Loo Belle Kent at $1,675. Mr. H. F. Brown of Minneapolis paid $3,550 for the red two-year-old bull Duke of Flat Creek, $1,775 for Wild Eyes Duchess 7th and $1,600 for Wild Eyes Duchess 9th. C. M. Gifford & Sons of Milford, Kan., bid off the Flat Creek Mary cow, Young Mary Duchess 2d, at $2,275, and the yearling bull Lord Barring- ton 2d at $1,675. The Van Meter Mary cow, Geneva Mary 2d, was knocked down to John Duncan, Louisville, at $2,000. Mr. G. L. Chris- man of Independence, Mo., was an active coiri- petitor, securing the yearling 4th Duke of Kent at $1,500, the red cow Barrington Mary 2d and *Col. Muir was one of the best-known live-stock auctioneers of his day in the United States. A resident of Kentucky, he shared with the Short- horn breeders of the blue-grass country their profound appreciation for the Bates blood, and made himself a leading: authority on all matters con- nected with the tribal histories of Short- horns of Kirklevington derivation. For many years he conducted important auction sales throughout the Western States, and on the occasion of the purchase of the American Short-horn Herd Book by the Breeders' Association from Lewis F. Allen was made editor of the pedigree register in Chicago. Being succeeded in that position by Mr. J. H. Pickrell, Col. Muir removed to Independence' Mo., conducting numerous auction sales and retaining his interest in Short-horn breeding until his death, which occurred several years since at that place. 726 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. a Barrington Lally heifer calf at $1,000 each. Wild Eyes Duchesses 5th and 10th were knocked off to A. C. Briant, Belton, Mo., at $2,000 and $1,730 respectively. For Wild Eyes Duchess 4th Corwin Anderson paid $1,050. For Mary Barrington, of the Van Meter Mary sort, J. H. Bacon, Weaver, la., gave $1,000. The average on the 109 head sold was $832.30. On the day following this memorable sale Messrs. Williams & Hamilton sold fifty-two head at Lexington for an average of $396.35, the highest prices being $1,100; paid by T. Cor- win Anderson for Kirklevington Marchioness, and $1,060, paid by H. C. G. Bals of Indianapo- lis for 3d Lady Kirklevington B. On Oct. 24 and 25, 1884, ninety-seven head of cattle were sold at auction on the home farm at Flat Creek to close the estate of Mr. J. C. Hamilton, who had died a short time previous. The extraordinary average of $840.57 was made, although such a result would not have been attained but for the fact that various members of the family were permitted to bid. It was here that Messrs. Palmer & Bowman of Virginia bought the red bull 2d Duke of Kent 51119 at $6,100 and the red-roan Airdrie Duch- ess 10th at $6,200, taking also 8th Duchess of Kent at $4,050 and 10th Duchess of Kent at $1,600. Messrs. Williams & Hamilton bought Barrington Duchess 2d and 3d Duchess of Kent * CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 727 at $5,000 each. They also bought Barrington Lally 5th at $3,500, Barrington Lally 6th at $3,000, and 3d Duke of Kent at $2,600. Geo. Hamilton bid off 7th Duchess of Kent at $3,500. A. L. Hamilton took 5th Duchess of Kent at $2,250, and Col. J. W. Judy got Young Mary Duchess at $1,225. Berry & Bigstaff of Mount Sterling paid $1,230 for Barrington Duke 37622. Col, W. A. Harris of Linwood. — The real leader of the Scotch forces in the United States during the "eighties" was Col. W. A. Harris of Linwood, Leavenworth Co., Kan. Few men possessing like strength of character have ever given their personal attention to the breeding of Short-horns in the United States. Of Vir- ginia parentage, he removed to the State of Kansas soon after the close of the Civil War. He first followed his profession — that of a civil engineer — in the employ of the Kansas Pacific Railway Co., assisting in the location of that branch of the Union Pacific from Kansas City to Denver. He had an inherited love for country life and pastoral pursuits, and while surveying on the north bank of the Kansas River some twenty-seven miles west of Kansas City, his attention was attracted by a beautiful body of " second bottom " and upland, the loca- tion of which was carefully noted at the time. He subsequently acquired the title to this prop- erty, and after residing some time in Lawrence 728 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. 9 — where he had charge of the sale of the Kan- sas Pacific Railway lands and the closing out of the Delaware Indian Reservation— he built a residence upon the farm afterward so celebra- ted in the Western Short-horn trade under the name of Lin wood, and for some years gave practically his entire time to the establishment of a herd which in its prime was probably the equal of any that has ever existed in North America. At the time Col. Harris made his first invest- ments in Short-horns his personal relations with the Kentuckians were of the friendliest, and he was made a director in their American Short- horn Record Association. He realized that in the Western country Short-horns, to give sat- isfaction to the hard-working farmers of that region, must possess sound constitutions and satisfactory feeding capacity. The leading Ken- tucky breeders of the period, while holding Col. Harris in the highest regard, did not relish his outspoken criticism of many of their herds, many of which he considered too fine and del- icate for practical Western feed-lot purposes. He had no patience with those who gave their adherence to mere pedigree, and proceeded to lay the foundations of his own herd with su- preme disregard of all things except genuine merit in the individual animal. For some years he made occasional purchases of breeding ani- CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 729 mals in the blue-grass country, but he faulted most of the Southern herds of that date as wanting in substance and flesh. Now and then he found a heifer that suited him fairly well, and in such cases was always willing to pay a liberal price. Early in his career as a breeder he had secured the excellent red bull Golden Drop of Hillhurst 39120, bred by Col. W. E. Simmes of Bourbon Co., Ky., by whom he was sold to J. C. Stone Jr. of Leavenworth, Kan. This bull had two Bates crosses (4th Duke of Hillhurst 21509 and 7th Earl of Oxford 9985) on top of the Scotch-bred Wastell's Golden Drop 4th by Sir Christopher (22895). He pos- sessed the finish, style and character common to the Bates tribes, together with more than the usual amount of flesh shown by the latter- day representatives of that blood, and proved a useful sire. When it became necessary to secure a successor to him a careful but unsuc- cessful search was made for a bull in the State of Kentucky. This was in the early spring of 1882. On May 3 of that year Mr. j! H. Kissin- ger of Missouri made a public sale at which he offered several head of Cruickshank cattle that he had purchased a short time before in Canada. Favorably predisposed toward the Scotch blood, as a result of his use of the Golden Drop bull above mentioned, and firm in the belief that Short-horn breeders generally must pay more 730 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. attention to form and feeding quality if they were to hold their own throughout the West, Col. Harris attended this sale. These imported cattle were the best specimens of Cruickshank breeding he had ever seen, and much impressed by their sturdy character he bought the year- ling Victoria bull imp. Baron Victor (45944) at 11,100; the big, broad-backed roan imp. Victoria 63d at $530; the smaller but thick-fleshed imp. Violet Bud at $450, and the compactly-fashioned red-roan imp. Victoria 69th at $390.* Baron Victor was a blocky, broad-ribbed, short-legged, mellow, thick-fleshed red, strong in head and horn, but standing very near to the ground. He was sired by Barmpton (37763) out of the fine cow Victoria 58th by Pride of the Isles; second dam Victoria 43d by Champion of Eng- land. Success of Baron Victor. — Victoria 69th of this purchase did not turn out a good invest- ment, but Victoria 63d's first calf — a grand roan heifer by Baron Victor, dropped Nov. 1, 1882 — developed into a yearling with an aston- ishing wealth of substance, flesh and hair. No such calf had ever before been seen upon the farm, and much as he disliked to part with her Col. Harris decided to consign her to the Inter- * At this same sale Messrs. J. H. Potts & Son purchased the imported Sitty ton Secret cow Sempstress at $585 and Gloxinia at $420. For imp. Acorn 2d the late Latmcelot Palmer paid $505 and for Beauty's Pride and Carrie $400 each. CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 731 state Breeders' sale held at Kansas City in the fall of 1884, where she proved the sensation of the day and commanded the top price of $1,005, being purchased by the late Samuel Steinmetz of Missouri. Breeders from many different States gathered around this burly -bodied, short-legged Scotch heifer and large numbers of them for the first time here realized that an element of undoubted value had now been in- troduced into the Western trade. Linwood Victoria's irresistible demonstration of the feeding quality of the Cruickshank sort was backed up at this same sale by the young bull The Baronet 58250 — got by Baron Victor out of a Flat Creek Mary dam — a calf of rare thickness and finish, finding quick sale at 1500 to F. C. Harris, son-in-law of Launcelot Palmer, Stur- geon, Mo. The Baronet developed into one of the best show bulls of his day in the Western States, winning prizes at the head of the herd of Newton Winn. The first crop of calves from Baron Victor sat- isfied Col. Harris that he was on the right track, and he took immediate steps to increase his stock of breeding females of Scotch extraction. He purchased from James I. Davidson imp. Sor- rel, by Roan Gauntlet; imp. Marsh Violet, by Pride of the Isles; imp. Barmpton Violet, by Royal Violet; imp. Lavender 32d, by Roan Gaunt- let; imp. Gladiolus, by Pride of the Isles; the 732 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. massive light roan imp. Golden Thistle, by Roan Gauntlet; imp. Lavenders 33d, 34th, 36th; imp. Sapphire, and from Mr. William Warfield of Kentucky the good heifer Primrose,* derived from imp. Portulacca. In the meantime the Baron Victor bulls from these and the Ameri- can-bred cows in the herd became the admira- tion of the entire American Short-horn cattle- breeding fraternity. Almost without exception they developed into richly-fleshed, short-leg- ged, low-flanked, easy-keeping bulls that served to convince a large majority of the breeders of the Missouri Valley States that the Linwood plan of breeding was correct. They were in demand at from $300 to $600, not only through- out the West but as far East as Ohio, for the purpose of heading good herds. In connection with Baron Victor there was used at Linwood, among other well-bred Cruick- shank sires, the red Barbarossa 68197, bought from Mr. Davidson, sired by Cumberland out of Barmpton Spray by Caesar Augustus. He was sold to Mr. Charles E. Leonard of Missouri and used extensively in the old-established herd at Ravenswood. Another bull that achieved rep- utation both as a stock-getter and prize-winner was imp. Double Gloster (49383), a red, sired by •This Warfield heifer bred to Baron Victor produced the handsome mellow-handling red prize bull Dr. Primrose of the Williams & House- holder show herd. Another Linwood-bred show-yard favorite in that same collection was the Baron Victor heifer Baroness CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 733 Barmpton out of 24th Duchess of Gloster by Lord of the Isles. Double Gloster was eold to William P. Higinbotham, whose Blue Valley Herd at Manhattan Kan., was for several years one of the best-known collections of the breed west of the Missouri River. Meantime Col. Har- ris became the heaviest buyer of imported Cruickshank heifers in the States, securing the pick of all of James I. Davidson's extensive im- portations of that period from Sittyton. He obtained from this source and transferred to the "sunny slopes of Linwood" such females as Lady of the Meadow, by Chancellor; Barmp- ton Crocus, by same sire; Lavender 38th, by Dunblane; the 26th, 27th and 28th Duchesses of Gloster, sired by Perfection, Chancellor and Cumberland respectively; Lovely 41st and Wood Violet, by Cumberland; Victoria 76th, by Vik- ing; Stephanotis, a grand roan, by Dunblane; Vera and Lady of Shalott, both by same bull; March Violet, by Chancellor, and others. He also bought from Messrs. Potts Lady Athel- stane of Oakland, by Duke of Richmond out of imp. Red Lady, and from Cummings of Buda, 111., a Sittyton Victoria of the Lowman & Smith sort. The Linwood Golden Drops. — Possibly his most fortunate selection, however, in the way of breeding females was the grand roan Nor- ton's Golden Drop, bred by C. W. Norton of 734 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Iowa in 1880 from the Bates bull imp. Under- ley Wild Eyes 31312 out of imp. Golden Drop 4th, imported from the Kinellar herd by J. S. Thompson, and also known as WastelFs Golden Drop 4th. (See records Vols. XII and XX A. S.-H. B.) Norton had procured the imported cow from Mr. McCune of Solon, la. This Bates-crossed Scotch Golden Drop was strong- backed, heavy-quartered and deep-bodied, with a feminine head and neck and good dairy qual- ities. Bred to the impressive Baron Victor she gave Col. Harris the best females he ever pro- duced, notwithstanding his repeated "topping" of the Cruickshank importations of the "eight- ies/7 Indeed, the Lin wood Golden Drops, with their beautiful finish, their wealth of flesh, sub- stance and character constituted, in the opinion of some of our best judges, the most superb family of Short-horn cattle of their time in the United States. Baron Lavender 2d. — Probably the best Cruickshank cow ever owned at Linwood was imp. Lavender 36th. She was, indeed, a noble specimen of Mr. Cruickshank's best type, pos- sessing grand scale, astonishing breadth, depth and thickness of rich flesh. Unfortunately this royal specimen of her race had such an irre- pressible tendency to take on flesh that she be- came barren in her very prime and was finally sent to the butcher. In the autumn of 1885 CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 735 this wonderful cow had dropped to a service by Baron Victor the handsome red-roan bull calf Baron Lavender 2d 72610. He was a youngster of extraordinary promise from the start, but the loss of his dam not then being anticipated he was sold at a good price to head a local herd. When it was discovered that his mother would no longer breed Col. Harris bought back Baron Lavender 2d, and it is speaking within bounds to state that this bull was by odds the greatest of all the many capital bulls bred at Linwood. A widespread, massive, low-legged, richly-fur- nished animal of strong character, Baron Lav- ender 2d was probably the peer of any bull of the breed yet produced on this side the Atlan- tic. It has always been a matter for sincere regret that his period of service in the fine herd at Linwood was so short. Another valuable Lavender bull by Baron Victor was the golden-skinned Baron Lavender 3d 78854, out of imp. Lavender 38th. He was a thick-set, mellow bull of beautiful quality, sold to William P. Higinbotham, and by him to S. F. Lockridge of Indiana. Imp. Craven Knight. — Considerable diffi- culty had been met with in finding a bull to breed upon Baron Victor's heifers. In addition to Barbarossa and Double Gloster, Col. Harris imported two young bulls of Mr. Cruickshank's own selection, one of which, Master of the 736 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Rolls 99643, got some good stock, but neither of them seemed just what was wanted, and they were given a short trial and sold. Subse- quently he bought probably the handsomest Cruickshank bull ever seen in the Western States, imp. Craven Knight 96923, imported for Luther Adams, Storm Lake, la., and sired by Cumberland out of Golden Autumn by Barmp- ton.* Craven Knight was a short-legged, evenly-built red of rare symmetry and finish, having a good head, a first-class middle-piece and remarkable hind quarters. It was be- lieved at Linwood when Craven Knight was obtained (along with another selection of im- ported Sittyton heifers of Luther Adams' importation) that a worthy successor to Baron Victor had been found. His first calves, how- ever, did not begin to develop quite early enough to satisfy the exacting requirements of the pro- prietor, and before the bull's value was real- ized he was sold to the Kansas Agricultural College at Manhattan, only to be rescued and *William Miller, who imported Craven Knight, says: "Among the best of the Sittyton cows at the time of my last visit were Victoria 58th and Golden Autumn. As I saw them tied in a double stall together they were cows of a good deal the same character, rather small, but character and quality all over (red). The 58th was dam of two I brought out, as well as of Baron Victor, to-wit. : Arthur Johnston's Indian Chief, so noted as a getter, and Victoria 80th that I kept for myself, but did no good. The other was dam of Craven Knight that was my choice of the Sittyton bull calves of that year, and I would not have got him out had Cruickshank not promised Harris two bulls and two heifers which he could only send out by me, and I told him I would not bring them unless he gave me first choice of his bull calves." CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 737 restored at the head of the herd several years later, after repeated efforts and the expenditure of large sums of money in endeavoring to find satisfactory stock bulls. The ultimate verdict was that had Craven Knight received full op- portunity he would possibly have equaled the record of Baron Victor as a sire. A search for sires. — Another imported bull tested at Lin wood was the red Thistletop 83876, imported in 1885 by Mr. Davidson. He left some good stock, among others the bulls El Sabio 103105, used some before being sold, and Thistlewood 95417, from imp. Victoria 63d— the last sire used in the herd of J. H. Potts & Son. A trial was also made of imp. Eoyal Pirate 100640, imported direct from Sittyton and sired by Gondolier 98287 out of Victoria 77th by Dunblane. This was a bull of great scale, with a remarkable back, but scarcely as compactly fashioned as the best of the Scotch type. Several other home-bred bulls were tested. One of these, Lord Mayor 112727, was a good red, sired by Baron Lavender 2d out of imp. Lady of the Meadow, one of the best breeding matrons of the herd. It was from Lord Mayor and old Norton's Golden Drop that the red Golden Lord 119422, chief stock sire in service at the dispersion of the herd, was produced. Galahad 103259, a short-legged, well-fleshed red 47 738 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. —one of the few animals sired by imp. Master of the Kolls 99463— out of Galanthus, daughter of imp. Gladiolus, was also largely used toward the last. He had been sold when young to Messrs. Hawk of Beattie, Kan., but developed such typical Scotch thrift and thickness that he was bought back for stock purposes. He was a medium-sized bull of much quality, and proved a useful sire. We should also mention the roan Lord Athol 122011— by Golden Knight out of the Potts-bred Lady Athelstane of Lin- wood by imp. Knight Templar 66658 — that got from Princess Alice a high-priced bull presently to be mentioned. It is doubtful if the history of Short-horn breeding in the United States affords a more striking illustration of enterprise in endeavor- ing to secure stock bulls of the highest possible merit than is furnished by the record of Lin- wood Farm. In addition to the various bulls above named, many of which were bought at strong prices, the champion show bull imp. Cupbearer 91223 was leased from Luther Adams and tried, but with disappointing results. From Milton E. Jones, Williamsville, 111., the mellow- skinned, short-legged red Spartan Hero 77932 was hired and used with a fair degree of suc- cess. This bull was of Sittyton breeding, im- ported by Mr. Davidson and sold to Messrs. Cookson of Iowa. He was sired by Barmpton CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 739 out of the Secret cow Souvenir by Royal Duke of Gloster. Col. Harris was convinced toward the close of his breeding operations that the Sittyton cattle stood in need of fresh blood. In 1892 he made a tour of England and Scotland, visiting the Royal show at Warwick and spending some time with Messrs. Duthie, Cruickshank and Marr in Aberdeenshire. He found that his judgment in this regard did not differ from that of the best-informed authorities in Great Britain, but at the same time he saw nothing upon that trip which seemed to him likely to cross with the Linwood cows' and heifers with better prospects of success than a sort already within the limits of the Linwood pastures at home. He therefore determined to test bulls bred from the Linwood Golden Drops, selecting for that purpose the roan Golden Pirate 103411, the red-roan Golden Knight 108086, and the red Golden Lord 119422. Some fresh blood was also obtained through another channel — the fine Collynie cow now to be mentioned. Princess Alice.— In the purchase of this su- perb daughter of Field Marshal the proprietor of Linwood gave further .evidence of his good judgment and great enterprise. Princess Alice was beyond question one of the greatest cows produced by the Short-horn breed during the closing years of the century, adding to Field 740 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Marshal's European fame by producing at Lin- wood some of the best stock bulls used in the United States in the recent past. Selected and imported by William Miller for Luther Adams, and a champion female at Western State fairs in her yearling form, she was bought by John Hope of Bow Park at the Lakeside dis- persion at Chicago in 1889. Col. Harris pur- chased her shortly afterward, and for a num- ber of years she was one of the chief ornaments of the herd that grazed the luxuriant pastures of Linwood. Bred to Craven Knight she produced in 1891 the roan Young Marshal 110705. As a yearling he was broad, low and thick, and was sold to L. W. Brown & Son, Sangamon Co., 111., who fitted him for the World's Columbian Exposi- tion at Chicago in 1893. winning first prize in the class for two-year-old bulls over thirteen competitors. He subsequently passed into the possession of Mr. Aaron Barber, Avon, N. Y., in whose hands he sired some of the best show cattle seen on the American circuit during the past ten years, besides winning prizes himself at the head of the Avon herd. While he grew somewhat uneven in. his flesh on account of his early forcing for the Columbian, he was a bull of strong character and outstanding substance. In January, 1892, Alice gave birth to the roan calf Prince Royal 118305, by Craven Knight, a CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 741 bull of fine promise that was sold for service in the herd of Thomas H. Mastin of Kansas City. To a service by imp. Spartan Hero the Princess produced in December, 1892, the roan Royal Hero 113611, that grew into a massive, mellow- fleshed bull that had the distinguished honor of winning, as recently as 1899, for Messrs. Miller of Indiana the championship of America at the Illinois State Fair in his seven-year-old form; and at the same show one of his daughters, the beautiful roan Sallie Girl,* was champion fe- male; the double winning constituting an achievement unique in the annals of the Western show-yard. In 1893 Princess Alice produced Eoyal Knight 117203, red with white marks — sired by the Golden Drop bull Golden Knight 108086— that was good enough to be used for a time at Linwood. Alice had bred two fine heifers to services by Craven Knight before she settled down to the bull trade; one known as Alice Maude, that was bought from Luther Adams for export to Mexico, and the other the rich-fleshed, sappy Fairy Queen, calved at Linwood in 1890, and shown successfully by Col. Harris. These were both paragons of Short-horn excellence, but the one went abroad and the other failed to breed. The old cow was finally sold at a good * Sallie Girl was descended on the dam's side through such noted bulls as Dick Taylor 5608, Loudon Duke 3097 and imp Duke of Airdrie, from imp Gem by Broker. 742 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. price to Col. T. S. Moberley of Kentucky, along with a heifer calf (Alice of Forest Grove) by Galahad at foot. She was at the time in calf to the young Linwood-bred Lord Athol 122011, and with this service resumed bull breeding, giving her Kentucky buyer the red Alice's Prince 122593. At the Moberley disper- sion the cow and bull calf were purchased by E. B. Mitchel & Son, Danvers, Til., who sold Alice's Prince to Messrs. Wallace of Missouri, from whom he has recently been bought by Mr. Aaron Barber at a reported price of $2,000. The Galahad heifer went to Texas. The old Princess finished her extraordinary career of usefulness by giving the Messrs. Mitchell, in 1897, the white bull Prince Armour 127794, by Baron Cruickshank 3d 117968, that has main- tained the credit of his family during the past two seasons by repeated winnings on the West- ern circuit. The virtual loss of the three heif- ers mentioned was little short of a calamity to the breed. Linwood's salutary influence. — No man ever undertook the promotion of Short-horn inter- ests more earnestly or unselfishly than Col. Harris. A man of strong convictions, sincere, honest, aggressive and convincing in advocacy of what he believed to be right, his influence as a breeder and as a director of the Herd-Book Association upon the course of Short-horn - o -a 9 ft CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 748 breeding in America during the period follow- ing the speculative "boom'7 of the "seventies" was perhaps greater than that of any other one man identified with the trade from 1882 to 1895, and was ever on the side of reason and sound practice. It was generally conceded that Lin- wood at its best was the outstanding herd of the United States, and foreign visitors ques- tioned if it had a superior in Great Britain. It was for a time the Mecca toward which Western breeders directed their steps in quest of stock sires. While, the surplus was usually disposed of at good prices at private treaty, the herd was maintained for the most part during a period when values of pedigreed cattle were at a comparatively low ebb. Nevertheless sev- eral successful public sales were made at Chi- cago, Kansas City and Manhattan, Kan. Affairs agricultural, however, were drifting from bad to worse. After the financial panic of 1893, discouraged by the profound and widespread depression, and now confronted by many difficulties in his efforts at sustaining the merit of the herd at its former level, the pro- prietor at length listened to the call of the people of his adopted State and consented to serve them, first in the House of Representa- tives and later in the Senate of the United States. Under these circumstances the disper- sion of the herd was inevitable, the event oc- 744 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. curring May 6, 1896, at the home farm. While it called out one of the largest and most repre- sentative gatherings of breeders ever seen upon a similar occasion in the Western States, times were then at their very worst, and it was impos- sible that anything like high prices should be realized. The stock had not been kept in strong condition during the few seasons im- mediately preceding the sale, and had not re- ceived the proprietor's close personal attention. Many of the "plums'7 of the herd had been sold privately. Everything upon the farm, except a few old cows, was catalogued, and the entire lot of both sexes and all ages, passed through the ring, without special preparation, at a gen- eral average of $205 for the sixty-three head. J. J. Hill of North Oaks. — In the summer of 1882 Mr. J. J. Hill of St. Paul, Minn., the rail- way king of the Northwest, began importing both Scotch and Bates-bred Short-horns from Great Britain. He also made large importa- tions of Aberdeen-Angus cattle from Scotland. Both herds were maintained upon the sandy soil of the farm of North Oaks, near St. Paul, a body of land not specially adapted for agri- cultural purposes. The imported cattle were selected mainly by Mr. Robert Bruce. The first shipment of Short-horns included the massive, prize-winning roan bull Gambetta (49618), bred by Mr. Garhetty, Fochabers, Scot- CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 745 land, tracing on the dam's side to Fanny, by Garioch Lad. With Gambetta came the. fine roan cow Rose of Dalkeith (of the Duke of Buc- cleuch's breeding), carrying the blood of Royal Errant and Sir James the Rose. There was also the Clipper cow Cinderella 2d. In May, 1883, the Bates-bred roan bull Berkeley Duke of Oxford 2d 54790, bred by Lord Fitzhardinge and sired by the celebrated Duke of Connaught, was imported along with three Bates-bred heifers. Later in the year additional ship- ments of Scotch and mixed-bred cattle of much individual merit were made, embracing such good cows as Belle of Albion, Golden Lace, Golden Mint, Fannie B. 30th, Jennie Lind 12th, Venus 2d and Sweet Pea. In June, 1884, Mr. Hill received from England a lot of Bates- bred cattle, including Grand Duchesses 43d and 47th, Duchess of Wappenham, Duchess of Oxford 2d, Grand Duchess of Barringtonia 5th, Conishead Wild Eyes 2d, Wild Lady 2d, Lady York and Thorndale Bates 8th, and, from Lord Lovat of Scotland, Young Julia 3d. In the spring of 1885 Mr. Bruce bought on order some forty yearling bulls, mainly in the North of Scotland, that were shipped out to North Oaks. He also secured for Mr. Hill the Highland Society's first-prize roan bull Gold- finder (47967), bred from the famous show stock of Mr. Handley of Westmoreland, and sired by 746 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. the celebrated English bull Sir Arthur Ingram (82490), a roan bred by Linton of Sheriff Hutton. Goldfinder was bought from Jas. Bruce of Burn- side. During this season Mr. John Hope, who was buying cattle in England for Bow Park, selected for North Oaks ten head of Duchesses, Oxfords and other Bates-bred sorts, among these being Duchess 125th from Allsopp's, Duchess of Leicester from Holford's and Duchess of Row- fant from Sir Curtis Lampson's. In 1886 Mr. Hill imported the bull Duke of Surrey 92018 — of A. H. Lloyd's breeding, sired by 27th Duke of Airdrie out of Grand Duchess 48th — four three-year-old cows and one heifer .calf. He also purchased about this same time two Grand Duchess cows at a sale held in Chi- cago by Mr. H. Y. Attrill, and as this imported bull was of that tribe the herd now possessed a considerable collection of the Bates-bred Duch- esses. The females sent out with the Duke of Surrey were a grand lot, including the High- land Society's first-prize two-year-old heifer Chief Lustre 2d, the three-year-old Bonny Gypsy bred by Mr. Duthie, Charm from Hugh Aylmer's and Severn Daisy — an English winner with heifer calf at foot by Piers Gaveston (50159). On May 9, 1888, at a public sale at North Oaks, thirty-seven head sold for an average of 1360.50. William Steele, a lumberman of Ionia, Mich., bought Grand Duchess of North Oaks 2d CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 747 at $1,550, imp. Oxford 29th at $1,000 and imp. Duke of North Oaks 2d at $750. B. C. Rumsey of Buffalo took imp. Duchess of Rowfant at $1,900.* H. C. G. Bals of Indianapolis bought North Oaks Lady of Oxford 2d at $1,550. Col. William S. King got North Oaks Countess of Oxford — a white yearling — at $1,000. A num- ber of Scotch-bred females were offered, but sold at a much lower range of values. Mr. Hill did not long maintain the herd, but the blood of his best cattle proved of much value to Western breeders. He steadfastly de- clined to compete at the fairs with breeding stock, but for several seasons was an active competitor with both Short-horns and Angus at the Chicago Fat-Stock Show. Probably his best Short-horn steer was the roan Britisher, that was a prize-winner at the show of 1889. John T. Gibson had charge of the herds until April 1, 1891, when William Miller assumed the management. The latter remained at the helm one year. Twelve months later, in April, 1893, he purchased the entire North Oaks Herds of Short-horns and Aberdeen-Angus — about one hundred head of each. About one-half of each herd was shipped to Chicago and sold at auction at the panic prices then prevailing. The remainder were taken to Lakeside Farm, *Mr. Rumsey had sold twenty-three head of Short-horns at Chicago on the previous week at an average of $343, Mr. William Steele paying $1,100 for Cambridge Rose 22d and $1,080 for Cambridge Rose 25th. 748 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Storm Lake, la., where Mr. Sherley, the pro- prietor, took an interest in them. The Short- horns were at length dispersed at a-uction at Lakeside in 1895. Hope's show herds of 1887 and 1889.— In the fall of 1887, Mr. John Hope, manager for the Messrs. Nelson at Bow Park, appeared in the West with one of the most remarkable show herds seen since the days of Col. King of Lyndale. The lot was headed by the very good show bull Baron Warlaby, but was chiefly re- markable for its imported females, including Lady Isabel, Havering Nonpareil 2d and Duch- ess of Lincoln, selected in England for the ex- press purpose of "starring" the American show circuit. Baron Warlaby was bred by Mr. Groff of Ontario, and was got by the Booth-bred Knight of Warlaby out of a cow tracing to imp. Beauty by Snowball. Lady Isabel and Havering Nonpareil 2d were both shown in the cow class at the great Western fairs of 1887, creating a profound sensation. Both were roans of magnificent scale, direct from the hands of expert English "fitters." Lady Isabel, called by Hope "the grandest cow seen since Lady Fragrant/' was bred by John Outhwaite, of Bainesse, Yorkshire, and was sired by the white bull Crown Prince (38061)— a brother of the Rev. B. B. Kinnard's re- nowned English show cow Queen Mary — out of CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 749 Lady Conyers by the Royal prize bull Lord Go- dolphin (36065). Notwithstanding the fact that she had produced two heifers and one bull, she was shown in reasonable bloom at the enor- mous weight of 2,100 Ibs., carried upon short, neat bone. Havering Nonpareil 2d, although not laid out on so grand a scale as the mas- sive Lady Isabel, was a beautiful type, present- ing a rare combination of flesh and finish, entering the ring at a weight of near 2,000 Ibs. She had been a winner at the English Royal, and on account of her beautiful quality divided the admiration of American breeders with Lady Isabel.* She was bred by D. Mclntosh of Hav- ering Park, Essex, England, from Baron Gwynne 2d 84510, running through the famous Telemachus blood to the Sittyton Nonpareil base; being a lineal descendant of Nonpareil 19th, by Matadore. Duchess of Lincoln, the third member of Hope's peerless triumvirate, was an extraordinary Bates-topped two-year- old, bred by J. J. Sharp of Broughton, Ketter- ing, England. She was a strikingly-handsome, broad-ribbed, finely-conditioned roan, of com- manding show-yard appearance, and repeated in America her earlier victories on the other side of the water. *At the Iowa State Fair of 1887, at Des Moines, Wm. Stocking of Illinois, the awarding1 judge, set the Nonpareil over Lady Isabel. This was a re- markable Short-horn show, Mr. Luther Adams' Scotch-bred imp. Miss Ramsden 9th being placed after the two Bow Park cows. 750 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Hope's last appearance in the show-ring in the States was in the fall of 1889. He had pur- chased imp. Cupbearer that spring at the Adams sale at Chicago, and to avoid a troublesome quarantine had placed him in the capable hands of Mr. William H. Gibson, manager for B. C. Rumsey at Niagara Stock Farm, Buffalo 1ST. Y. It must be said to Gibson's credit that the bull was brought out that fall in rare bloom. When he appeared at the head of the Bow Park Herd at the Detroit Exposition September, 1889, he was fit to stand for the credit of the breed in any company. He was shown at a weight of 2,500 Ibs., and barring a little tendency to "roll" at the shoulder was as smooth as a year- ling. Richard Gibson was the judge upon this occasion, and while sending Cupbearer to head the aged bull class, when it came to the cham- pionship he passed him in favor of Bow Park's yearling Baron Waterloo, got by Baron War- laby 78878 out of Wave Surge by 57th Duke of Oxford, tracing through Mr. Torr's "W's." Aylesby and its Short-horn tribes never failed to arouse the enthusiasm of Richard, "and as Baron Waterloo was really a well-ripened, good- fleshed bull there was some basis for defense of his unexpected decision placing the yearling over the table-backed Scot. Hope won in the cow class with Havering Nonpareil 2d, although Mr. Abram Renick, the younger — who had sue- CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 751 ceeded to his great-uncle's Rose of Sharon herd —had a good second in Rosebud 35th. Bow Park scored also in two-year-old heifers with Isabella 3d, a handsome daughter of imp. Lady Isabel, sired by Ingrain's Chief 41833. In fact Hope made a clean sweep by drawing the blue in both the yearling and heifer-calf classes, gaining both championships and both of the herd prizes.* *The affairs of the Canada West Farm Stock Association were closed at auction at Brantford Jan. 15, 1885, the title to both the farm and herd passing to Messrs. Thomas Nelson & Sons of Liverpool. The real estate was bought in at $71,000, the 115 head of Short-horns-at $95,000, and the other farm effects at $14,680. Mr. John Clay Jr., the present head of the American stock-yards commission firm of Clay, Robinson & Co., had meantime been placed in charge as financial representative of the Messrs. Nelson, Mr. Hope continuing to act as herd manager, serving in that capacity until the final disposition of the farm by the Nelsons Jan. 1, 1894, soon after which event Mr. Hope died. The latter had for a long series of years been one of the most conspicuous figures in the American live-stock trade, often acting as judge, not only of cattle but draft and coach horses and other varieties of farm animals. Fitting tribute has been paid to his memory by Mr. Clay, whose literary skill has so often been employed in matters touch- ing the affairs of those whose lives are spent among herds and flocks. We quote the following written by Mr. Clay for the Live-Stock Report: "Probably no single man ever had such a varied knowledge of the breeders of fine stock in Europe and America as " genial John." We migh\, except the late Simon Beattie, a sort of companion-in-arms, who had gone through many a purchasing, selling and showing campaign with the above. With those two gentlemen Richard Gibson was often associated, and when the trio met there was an accumulation of experience in breeding and feed- ing all classes of stock — of the folk lore, we might call it— of the bovine world of anecdote, by sea and shore, never equaled. Two have gone from us, while the third remains to wield a powerful influence in agricultural matters throughout the States and Canada. " John Hope was born over fifty years ago near to Cockermouth, Cumber- land. His birthplace was near to an old church with a wonderful belfry, and when far away from there he heard the chime of bells floating across the Valley of the Grand River, near Brantford, Ont., it always reminded him of the old days spent in his native parish. From Cumberland he went to Canada, spent some time in Missouri, a year or two at Waukegan, 111., and then he settled down in Ontario, where the latter part of his life was spent, first as a farmer and importer of fine stock, and latterly as assistant manager and manager of Bow Park. During the last two months he had 752 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Luther Adams' importations. — In the au- tumn of 1886 Mr. Luther Adams of Boston, Mass., who owned a large farm at Storm Lake, la., commissioned Mr. William Miller to pro- ceed to Scotland and select for his account a shipment of the best young cattle obtainable. Miller was admirably qualified for the work. As we have already seen, he belonged to a fam- ily that had been identified from an early period with the importing and breeding trade of Can- ada. As a young man he had bought cattle and sheep in Great Britain; and his long and inti- mate connection with the live-stock interests of North America had given him an experience, purchased this estate, but whether the actual details had been carried through or not we are unable to say. " It was August, 1876, in the Valley of the Severn, under the shadow of the Cotswold Hills, that the writer first met Hope. From that day a chain of unbroken friendship that had to stand the strain of many a gale remained unbroken. In 1877 or 1878 Hope went to Bow Park as manager of the herd then one of the largest and most valuable in the world, and in 1879 I joined him at that place. Bow Park was not a financial success. It was started when the Short-horn business was on the wane. Here it was, however that John Hope became a great force in trans- Atlantic agriculture. Many an object lesson he gave on the farm amid the stately oaks that surmount the homestead at Bow Park. There he was at his best. The fever of strong prejudices was laid away, and before you was the animal. Ah! how he loved to look at them. When the show cows were let out from their shady boxes at sundown to graze in the cool night air then came Hope's enjoy- ment. As the artist loves his picture, the huntsman his hound, the mother her child, so the idol of our friend was the Short-horn cow. For years it was the Alpha and Omega of his existence. Latterly, when a happy mar- riage came across his path, and a beautiful family to cluster round him, the old love was dimmed a little, but the virgin fires still blazed, and no later than the great show of cattle at the World's Fair Hope was there as in- tensely interested as ever. In the show-yard he had phenomenal success. Will the present race of American cattlemen ever forget Duke of Clarence 4th, the Clarence Kirklevington, and the herd of cows and heifers which a few years ago swept like a cyclone through the show-yards of the States and Canada? As an exhibitor Hope was a strong partisan, and in the pecu- liar politics of an American show-ring he was an adept. Long years of ex- CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 753 a seasoned judgment and an acquaintance on both sides the water not excelled by any other individual of his time. A shrewd, keen-witted, "all-around" judge, "Willie" Miller ranks as one of the makers of American Short-horn history. The shipment of 1886. — Canadian quaran- tine restrictions had rendered impossible the further forwarding of the Sittyton surplus to Mr. Davidson, so that it came to pass that Mr.Cruick- shank's final American outlet was through the medium of Mr. Adams. Arriving in Aberdeen- shire Mr. Miller repaired at once to Sittyton. Mr. Cruickshank was well sold out of bulls at perience and close observation had made him so, and he only fought his opponents with their own weapons. As a judge he was strictly impartial, and as an all-round man was, so far as my observation goes, without an equal. In the show-yard arena during the last twenty years I have watched many an exhibitor and judge. Years ago I saw an Elliot of Hindhope, a Booth of Warlaby, a Drewry of Holker take their parts in the play. In lat- ter years all of us have seen a Tait of Windsor, Gibson of Canada, Billy Leavitt in the Chicago Stock- Yards, and a host of others, all men of quick perception; but when it came down to close judgment, whether it was a hound, a horse, or a Hereford, I think John Hope would have got the laurel wreath, for with him it was intuition. He was quick, keen, decisive, al- most too rapid for the general public, but he was always there or there- abouts when the best animal had to be picked from the bunch. "In personal appearance Hope was broad and burly, a grand specimen of the English yeoman. Apart from his general contour his prominent feature was the eye. He was the possessor of a pair of great luminous blue eyes, that imparted to his appearance a singularly soft and winning expression. When a child entered the room it invariably went straight to him, and through those eyes beamed forth all that was tender and true in his nature. Simple himself ao a child, generous to a fault, strong in his friendship, with the heart of a lion, yet the mildness and gentleness of a lamb, he leaves behind a record for probity as a heritage to all who knew him. Let us inscribe this sentiment to his memory : That the leading fea- ture of his life was sympathy ; or, to go deeper still, shall we call it love — love of mankind and the dumb creation, that flower which has bloomed perennially ever since the day Adam and Eve left the gates of Paradise." 48 754 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. the time, having but one for sale that was deemed worthy of importation. This, the red calf Harvester, by Baron Violet, was bought along with the choice heifers Simplicity, Gwen- doline, Athene, Golden Feather, Sorrel, Golden Crest and Violet Mist. The chief stock bull at Sittytori at this time was Cumberland, con- cerning which bull Mr. Miller says: "Cumber- land was then in his prime, a massive roan, with great quality and thickness of flesh, very strong back and loin, good strong head and long quarters, but did not carry himself with as much style as one would like. The more you looked at him the more you thought of him, but when one saw his mother, Custard, a grand roan, it was not hard to divine where he got his breeding qualities." Cumberland's son, Feudal Chief (51251), out of a Lavender dam. was then being used freely in the herd. Mr. Cruickshank seemed to place much confidence in him, but Mr. Miller was not altogether pleased with the bull. He adds: "Commodore (54118), a grand roan by Baron Violet (47444) out of Custard, the dam of Cumberland, was the best bull I saw at Sittyton. He was not so massive as Cumberland, but finer. I tried every way I could to buy him for Mr. Adams, but Mr. Cruickshank would not price him." The herds at Collynie and Uppermill were visited, and as young stock by Field Marshal and William of CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 755 Orange were at that time being offered, some advantageous purchases were made from Messrs. Duthie and Marr. From the former he got the Field Marshal heifers Viola 5th, Fra- grance, Lady Dorothy 2d and Bashful 2d,* be- sides the young bull Lord Lancaster by same sire. Cupbearer bought.— The yearling bull Cup- bearer (52692) had just been sold by Mr. Duthie to an Ontario breeder and sent to Liverpool for shipment, but on account of the Canadian quar- antine proclamation he had to be returned to Collynie, whereupon Mr. Miller secured him for Mr. Adams. He had been shown during the summer of 1886 as a yearling, winning first prize in a good class of two-year-olds at the Royal Northern and had the reserve number next to Field Marshal. He was a roan sired by Rob Roy (45484) out of the prize cow Countess 4th, descending from Mr. Cruickshank's Fragrance by Matadore, and became the champion show bull of America. From Mr. Marr was obtained Missie 99th, Sweet Brier 7th, Flora 89th and a young bull by William of Orange. A promis- ing bull calf, Prince Charlie, bred by P. R. Smith of Aberdeenshire, and one or two others from local breeders came with the first importation. * Bashful 2d— of the Miss Bamsden tribe— was what American breeders term a genuine "double-decker" — a beefy, broad-backed cow with a large, shapely udder. She was a heavy milker and was one of the cows chosen in 1893 to represent the breed in the Columbian Dairy Test. 756 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. West Liberty sale. — Mr. Adams had mean- time been a buyer of American-bred stock of standard Bates and other established varieties, and a selection of these along with the major portion of the importation above mentioned was offered at public sale at West Liberty, la., May 12, 1887. The catalogue contained the two Bates-bred heifers Lady Barrington Bates and Lady Winsome Wild Eyes 2d, from one of Richard Gibson's importations, and as the ri- valry between the Bates and Scotch .factions was running high at this time much specula- tion was indulged in as to relative prices likely to prevail. Practically all the leading breed- ers of the West were present, and as the cattle were brought forward in good form, notwith- standing their recent Atlantic voyage, some ex- cellent prices were realized. Evidently a ma- jority of those present were attracted by the Aberdeenshire lots, and as a result of a sharp contest between the late Robert Miller and C. W. Norton of Durant, la., the Sittyton Secret heifer Simplicity was taken by the latter at $1,200. Mr. Norton also took out the highest- priced bull of the day, imp. Prince Charlie, at $1,000. Lady Barrington Bates brought $1,060 and the imported Scotch heifers sold at an av- erage around $500. Robt. Miller secured some of the best of these, among others the roan Violet Mist, afterward the property of C. B. CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 757 Dustin, that grew into a genuine "double- decker" — a good breeder, a heavy flesh-carrier when not in milk and possessing marked dairy quality. It was at this sale that C. S. Barclay of West Liberty selected Harvester at $500. The forty-two head offered made an average of $328.35.* The memorable purchase of 1887. — In the fall of 1887 Mr. Miller again visited Scotland, purchasing no less than thirty-one head of heifers and thirty-nine young bulls, all from *Mr. Miller fitted and exhibited for Mr. Adams at the fall fairs of 1887 a herd headed by Strathearn 77994, a compactly- built, thick-fleshed red, bred by John Miller & Son, Brougham, Ont., descending from imp. Rose of Strath- allan, that was probably the most valuable breeding cow John Miller ever owned. She lived to be nineteen years of age, and this reference to Strath- earn reminds us that no less than eleven direct descendants of the famous old cow won at different times championship prizes in Canada and the United States. Mr. John Miller bought Rose of Strathallan just after she had gained the gold medal at the Highland Show of 1870 in her five-year-old form. She carried at the time the famous bull Lord Strathallan, already mentioned. The West as well as the Dominion is indebted to John Miller for many good cattle and the author has pleasure in here recording a pass- ing recognition of the value of his services as a breeder and importer. He is still living at the ripe old age of eighty-three years and figures as one of the strongest and sturdiest characters ever identified with our live-stock in- terests. Like most of the Canadian breeders who have succeeded so well with Short-horns Mr. Miller is a Scot. The herd at Brougham is one of the oldest in the Dominion. Among the earliest sires used were Oxford Ma- zurka from Woodburn, Canadian Prince, of Campbell origin, and Fawsley Chief, a Torr-Booth. For many years past none but Scotch bulls have been used, included among them being the famous Vice Consul (brought to the States by Messrs. Sanger), Sittyton Stamp, etc. Mr. Miller's sons are widely and favorably known and Robert has made many trips across the Atlantic, buying cattle and sheep for show and breeding purposes. Indeed, few, if any, families have a longer or more honorable identification with Ameri- can stock-breeding interests than the Millers. Imp. Cupbearer was shown in this Lakeside herd of 1887 as a two-year- old, and while much admired had not assumed the phenomenal show-yard form which he afterward attained. The cow of this show herd was Miss feamsden 9th, an 1,865-lb. red, with a remarkable heart-girth, and the two- year-old heifer was her own sister, Miss Ramsden 10th. 758 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. the herds of Cruickshank, Duthie, Marr and Campbell — the largest importation ever made direct from Aberdeenshire to the United States. The value of this lot of cattle to American herds can scarcely yet be fairly estimated. Among the females were the grand roan Bra- with Bud cow Germanica from Sittyton, the thick heifers Proud Belle, Charity 3d and the great roan Princess Alice from Collynie; while among the bulls, then all unknown to fame, were Craven Knight, Gay Monarch, Indian Chief, Freemason, Pro Consul, Mephistopheles and Master of the Mint. A selection from this lot was offered at auction at Dexter Park, Chi- cago, May 16, 1888. While appreciation of Scotch blood for crossing purposes on Ameri- can-bred cows was now general throughout the entire country, prices for all classes of cattle were still upon a very moderate basis. Hence high values were not to be thought of. It was here that J. G. Robbins & Sons, Horace, Ind., made the "hit" of their career as breeders by selecting the roan Marr-bred calf Gay Monarch, by William of Orange out of Alexandrina 17th by Athabasca at $375. Messrs. Cookson got Pro Consul at $630. Francis Davis of Minnesota bought Freemason at $300. Arthur Johnston secured Indian Chief at $350, ^and J. F. Prather of Village Park, Williams ville, 111., took out Mephistopheles at $300; the twenty-five bulls 5'ta &11 CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 759 averaging $308. It must be borne in mind that these calves had been weaned at a compara- tively early age in Scotland, shipped 4,000 miles and offered before opportunity had been had for putting them in strong condition. Had they been fed for six months or a year they would doubtless have averaged double the money. Mr. Miller insisted at the time that the youngsters would grow out in a way that would fairly astonish buyers, and his words upon this point indeed proved prophetic. The highest-priced heifer sold at this sale was imp. Lady of the Meadow, taken by T. W. Harvey at $575. Lakeside's show herd of 1888, — At the shows of 1888 Lakeside came forward in force. Cupbearer was now a three-year-old and had im- proved wonderfully with twelve months7 feed- ing. He was never a typical Scotch bull, lack- ing the essential element of early maturity, but as a three-year-old he displayed that marvelous back, loin and hip-covering for which he was afterward so famous. Still he wanted filling at the flanks. A smoother bull probably never stood in the American show-ring. It was a strong class at the Iowa State Fair that year, including N. P. Clarke's big red, Canadian-bred Oscar, Barr's imp. Scotland's Hero and the Du- thie-bred Crown Prince, also shown by Mr. Clarke. First prize here fell to Oscar, but at 760 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. the Illinois show Cupbearer went to the front, winning over Varner's Frederick William 4th, Wilhoit's Athelstane 3d and other good ones. Along with Cupbearer there came from Storm Lake this season the great cows Germanica and Miss Ramsden 9th. Mr. Clarke was showing the beautiful Kinellar-bred Goldie cow Gypsy Maid,* and when to* such as these we add Wil- hoit's Young Necklace fair-goers of that period will have called to their minds visions of Short- horn beauty such as are rarely equaled. Lake- side was " loaded " this same year in the two- year-old heifers with Mr. Duthie's Proud Belle, of a wonderfully wide-ribbed, fleshy type. The peerless Princess Alice was the yearling and she displayed such extraordinary quality that she was made female champion at several of the leading fairs of the Western circuit. It was a great herd and when it gained the cham- pionship over all beef breeds at "The Ameri- can Royal " — the Illinois State Fair at Olney— it was indeed a proud day for "Willie" Miller and the Scots. Third and last lot. — In January, 1889, the * Mr. Clark's Gypsy Maid was one of the finest specimens of the breed of her time in the United States. She possessed something of the same quality and character as Princess Alice, and like that cow left a valuable progeny. She was a roan, bred by Campbell of Kinellar, from the Sitty ton-bred Ver- mont 78225— running through Harmony by Pride of the Isles to Mr. Marr's Goldie tribe— and was imported in September, 1885, by John Isaac of Canada. She combined rare thickness with admirable finish, and was a milker as well as a flesh-carrier. She was often shown with success, and was the champion female of the breed at the Iowa State Fair of 1889. CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 761 third and last of the Luther Adams lots came over. It consisted of twelve young bulls and eighteen heifers, all from Sittyton, the get of Gondolier, Feudal Chief, Standard Bearer, Cumberland and Commodore. Soon after these had been put through quarantine Mr. Adams decided upon a dispersion sale of the entire Lakeside stock, including the bulls of the last importation and the show herd of 1888. Even the best cattle were not commanding long prices in those days. Breeders found it neces- sary to economize in every possible way, and Mr. Adams felt that the situation was such that it was impossible to continue importations from Scotland with any prospect of reselling at a profit. He accordingly disposed of his farm to Mr. T. H. Sherley of Louisville, Ky., and cata- logued sixty-six head of Short-horns to be sold at Dexter Park, Chicago, April 25, 1889. Few better lots ever went under the auctioneer's hammer in the Western States, and if by some witchery this herd could be restored to life and put on the market in these prosperous closing days of the nineteenth century quite another story could be told as to the result. The beau- tiful Princess Alice fell to the bidding of John Hope of Bow Park at $710. John was never accused of being partial to Scotch-bred cattle, but such as Princess Alice appealed to his skilled judgment with irresistible force. Mr. 762 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Dustin got Victoria 79th, Proud Belle and Ger- manica 2d at $425, $420 and $325 respectively. Hugh Draper, Washington, la., got the rich- fleshed roan Fatiina at $400. Messrs. Potts se- cured Germanica at $395. Miss Ramsden 10th went to L. H. Conn of St. Louis at $325. Prin- cess Alice's sappy heifer Alice Maude was se- cured by the author of this volume on a bid of $300 for export to Mexico. J. R. Jones & Son, Williamsville, 111., bought Blythesome Bride at $230. The show bull Strathearn went to Geo. Harding & Son, Waukesha, Wis., at $700. Cup- bearer was bought by John Hope at $650. C. C. Platter, Red Oak, la., got imp. Bandmaster, aft- erward noted as a sire in the herd of H. D. Par- sons, at $630. The entire sixty-six head offered brought an average of $289.69. The heifers in the importation of 1889 were sold along with Lakeside Farm to Mr. Sherley, who subsequently disposed of most of them at private treaty to Col. W. A. Harris and the late John McHugh of Cresco, la. The lot sold in- cluded sixteen yearling heifers of Cruickshank, Duthie and Marr breeding, one-half of which went to Linwood along with the bull Craven Knight. The Short-horn herd bred at Lakeside from the North Oaks and Luther Adams purchases was closed out at auction on June 12, 1895, at an average of $204 for the forty-six head offered. CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 763 The stock bull Knight of the Thistle 108656, by Craven Knight, tracing to imp. Rose of Strath- allan, was bought by Mr. H. C. Stuart of Salt- ville, Va., at $650. Col. T. S. Moberley gave $500 for the roan Cupbearer cow Gwendoline 2d, and for her daughter Gwendoline 3d Maj. J. T. Cowan, Cowan's Mills, Va., paid a like sum. In addition to Knight of the Thistle Mr. Miller had used German Laird 98182, by Strathearn 77994 out of the Pure Gold or Brawith Bud cow imp. Germanica.* Gwendoline 2d was a prime favorite with Mr. Miller. She was a regular breeder, a heavy milker, with a wide, strong back and beautiful character. He often compared her with the celebrated English champion show cow the great Mollie Millicent.f Last successful Duchess sale. — Allusion has * It was from this herd that Mr. Abram Renick, the younger, bought the bulls Wallace 117654, by German Laird out of the Wild Eyes cow North Oaks Duchess of Worcester 2d, and Royal Scot 117217, by Knight of the Thistle out of Gwendoline 2d, for the purpose of introducing some fresh blood into the Rose of Sharon herd left him as a legacy on the death of his great-uncle, Abram Renick, in 1884. t Lakeside Farm was bought from Mr. Sherley by Mr. Miller in 1898 and upon that valuable Iowa property the veteran breeder and importer is spending his declining years, feeding operations engaging most of his atten- tion. His occasional contributions to the Breeder's Gazette have reflected not only his fine vein of humor but literary ability of the highest order. That gifted American author, Donald G. Mitchell (" Ik Marvel") in forwarding a communication of his own, prepared especially for one of the Christmas issues of the Gazette, referred to an article of Mr. Miller's in a prior issue with this comment: "When you can secure such matter as Mr. Miller's article of last year from within the ranks of your own constituency I do not see why you need call professional literary men to your aid." 764 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. heretofore been made to the fact that Messrs. Rigdon Huston & Son of Blandinsville, 111., pur- chased the entire Bates-bred herd of Col. Le G. B. Cannon of Vermont and added it to their Hilldale stock in 1881 at a cost of $50,000 for thirty-two head. The Cannon herd contained several representatives of the Airdrie Duchess tribe, obtained from Hillhurst, and as the Messrs. Huston were among the most practical of our Western breeders they were successful in producing from this purchase a good num- ber of first-class animals. They had in service for a time the 22d Duke of Airdrie 16695 and subsequently bought from Bow Park for $5,000 a good rich-roan son of 4th Duke of Clarence, known as 2d Duke of Brant 55479 a bull of admirable quality and character. After the death of Rigdon Huston the herd was closed out at auction at Dexter Park, Chi- cago, Nov. 21 and 22, 1888, under the manage- ment of the son, Mr. Theodore Huston.* There were twelve head of Dukes and Duchesses in the sale, all descended from the celebrated 10th Duchess of Airdrie, and like the Hillhurst lot * Rigdon Huston was one of the pioneer breeders of the West and was a man of the highest character, universally esteemed. He had from early days been an owner of pure-bred Short-horns, chosen primarily for their individual merit, and he was to the last a consistent advocate of quality in the animal as a consideration paramount. His son Theodore was of a spec- ulative turn of mind and did not engage as a partner in breeding with his father until the purchase of the Cannon herd was consummated. In 1893 Theodore Huston, who was in very ill health, was appointed United States Consul at El Paso, Tex., but even the mild climate of that region did not save him from an early death. CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 765 sold at same place, as noted on page 712, they were, as a rule, of superior individual merit and brought good prices. It was claimed at the time that this was the best collection of Duchesses in existence on either side the water —a fact which was largely due to the undoubted skill of the Messrs. Huston. The " plum " of the females was the two-year-old heifer 8th Duchess of Hilldale, that brought the long price of $6,600 from William Steele of Ionia, Mich. The same buyer took the stock bull 2d Duke of Brant at $3,000. Mr. William Wright of Detroit, Mich., bought the five-year-old roan 4th Duchess of Hilldale at $2,600. John Hope bid off the roan yearling 12th Duchess of Hilldale at $3,000. H. C. G. Bals of Indianapolis took the red heifer calf 14th Duchess of Hilldale at $2,250. For the red-and-white six-year-old cow 3d Duchess of Hilldale Messrs. Flynn & Elbert, Des Moines, la., paid $2,050. W. H. Carlyle, Plymouth, 0., secured the four-year-old 6th Duchess of Hill- dale at $1,950. B. C. Rumsey of Buffalo took the red-roan yearling llth Duchess of Hilldale at $1,800. T. C. Anderson, Side View, Ky., got the matron of the tribe, the ten-year-old 7th Duchess of Hillhurst, at $1,700. W. W. Ben- ton, Mendon, 111., bought the roan heifer calf 13th Duchess of Hilldale at $1,550. John Hope took the red bull calf 16th Duke of Hilldale at $1,650. G. H. Barnett of Pennsylvania bought 766 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE. the roan bull calf 13th Duke of Hilldale at $900. The nine females averaged $2,611; three bulls averaged $1,850; the twelve head bringing $29,050— an average of $2,420.85. Seven head of Barringtons, sold upon this same occasion, averaged $360; six Kirklevingtons averaged $352.50; the seventy-nine animals catalogued bringing $43,320 — an average of $548.35. The old 7th Duchess of Hillhurst subse- quently reverted to Mr. Theodore Huston and was sold along with her heifer 15th Duchess of Hilldale at an auction sale held at Abingdon, 111., May 13, 1891, in connection with a lot of cattle belonging to Mr. Strawther Givens of that place, both of the Duchesses going to George Allen. Allerton, 111., at $1,000 for the old cow and $1,500 for the heifer. The 10th Duchess of Airdrie ranks next in Duchess history to Duch- ess 66th, ancestress of the New York Mills lot. The great Woodburn matron that passed from Mr. Alexander's hands to George Murray of Racine, and from him to Hon. M. H. Cochrane, left a family of descendants that sold in the aggregate at public and private sale for a total of about $300,000. The old cow died at an ad- vanced age in 1884, the property of Maj. S. E. Ward, Westport, Mo. Sale of the Sittyton herd.— In May, 1889, the Short-horn breeding world was startled by the report that the entire Sittyton herd, con- CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 767 sisting at that date of 154 head, had been sold at private treaty to James Nelson & Sons of Liverpool, Eng., for exportation to the Argen- tine Republic, South America. Those who had enjoyed intimate relations with Mr. Cruickshank were aware that the old gentleman had long contemplated retiring from the profession in which he had gained world-wide fame. Indeed, a proposition had been under consideration in America looking toward the formation of a syn- dicate for the purchase and importation to this country of the entire herd. These negotiations, however, were not carried to a successful issue, and when the announcement was made that the stock was to be shipped to Buenos Ayres ex- pressions of keen regret were heard throughout all Britain and North America. It is an old saying that "it is an ill wind that blows nobody good." To the failure of the great interna- tional banking house of Baring Bros., which oc- curred in England soon after Messrs. Nelson had accomplished the purchase of the stock, Short-horn breeders of Britain, Canada and the States are indebted for the retention in the motherland of the bulk of the Sittyton cattle. Grave financial complications in the Argentine rendered it inexpedient to carry out the origi- nal project of shipping the entire herd to the Southern Republic. Mr. Robert Bruce, then of Darlington and 768 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. now an official of the Royal Irish Agricultural Society — one of the best-informed men of his time in all Britain and a popular judge at lead- ing shows — had represented the Messrs. Nelson in this important transaction and decided, in view of the failure of the original plan for ex- portation, that the herd had best be held at the home farm pending some satisfactory disposi- tion of the stock. This arrangement was car- ried into effect and the cattle were kept at Sit- tyton until May, 1890. Mr. Bruce has given us an interesting account of the extreme reluc- tance with which Mr. Cruickshank finally parted with his pets. We quote: Can anyone realize what the selling of his entire herd of Short- horns would mean to such a man ; a herd which had been the work of a lifetime to buiid up? While the transaction was being carried through I felt sincere sympathy for him, as I could see how the thought of parting with his cattle affected his strong mind. The resolution to sell was arrived at owing to his failing health and the fact that the lease of his farm had expired ; and when the proposition of a private purchase of the entire lot was made he liked the idea, seeing it would save him all the worry and trouble attending a public sale. In a letter to me, dated May 5, 1889, he wrote: "In reply to your letter regarding the Short-horn cattle, my lease of the farm expires next year. I am in my eighty-second year and from a serious illness which I had last year I am not now able to give the cattle that attention which I had used to do and which is essentially necessary to continue. This is the cause of their being offered for sale." William Duthie of Collynie was so fortunate as to secure a majority of the most useful cows —some thirty-five head in number. Mr. J. Deane Willis of Bapton Manor, Codford, Wilt- CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 769 shire, Eng., bought all of the yearling heifers excepting those of the Violet tribe, which fam- ily, consisting of but five females, was pur- chased, along with Grapevine's bull calf Glen- garry and five other females, by Mr. C. W. Tin- dall for Mr. Sutton Nelthorpe of Scawby Brigg, Lincolnshire, Eng. Mr. J. Wilson of Pirries- mill, Huntley, bought the cow Cordenella and her bull calf Sovereign, by Gondomar, that be- came a well-known sire. The stock bulls in the herd at the time of its purchase were the following: Cumberland (46144), Gondolier (52956), Commodore (54118), Gondomar and Collingwood. Cumberland was old and very much worn. The flesh had slipped from his chine and shoulders, and as it was evi- dent that little if any further service could be had from him he was sent to the butcher. Gondolier was a red by Cumberland out of Gilliver by Roan Gauntlet, with good ribs and a strong back, but lame at the time of his purchase in both shoulders. He was sold to go into Durham, Eng. Unfortunately for the breed the last great Sittyton bull, Commo- dore, and his good stable companion Gon- domar were shipped to South America. Mr. Bruce tells us that Mr. Cruickshank called Commodore "the best animal that ever left Sit- tyton." He was sired by Baron Violet (47444) out of Custard by Royal Duke of Gloster; sec- 770 A HISTORY OF bHORT-HORN CATTLE. ond dam Princess Royal by Champion of Eng- land.* -Mr. Bruce says that viewed from the side Commodore was simply perfect — very level and deep. Seen from behind, however, he thought him a bit narrow. His " roasts" were wide on top, but his ribs did not present as perfect an arch as one would like. Commo- dore was lost at sea. Gondomar, a red of good style and character, by Feudal Chief (51251) out of Godiva by Cumberland; second dam Gilliver by Roan Gauntlet, was extra good and should have been retained in Scotland. Collingwood was a bull of nice quality, but somewhat lack- ing in width. The Cruickshank cows at Collynie. — Mr. Duthie originally bought the eighteen old cows that the Nelsons deemed too aged for export under agreement to remove them from Sittyton on the 1st of June, 1889, and allow their calves to suck them, these calves to be the property of Messrs. Nelson, delivered in the following * Before taking leave of this line of breeding we may add the following description of this epoch-making sire, furnished the author by Mr. John W, Cruickshank: "Champion of England was a beautiful calf, his hair ac- tually waved in the wind, and until his death in 1870 no other sire was so fully trusted; his large, deep body was carried on short legs; his quarters, though not long, were broad and deep; his frame carried an unusually thick covering of natural flesh, and so full was he behind the shoulders that the meat actually projected beyond the shoulder blades. No bull ever had such an influence in the herd; his calves could easily be picked out and the use of his sons, grandsons and great-grandsons impressed the Sittyton herd generally with his character. Himself descended on both sides from tribes of good milking qualities his daughters were useful dairy cattle as well as heavy-fleshed Short-horns. His death was the result of calculus, and when killed his organs were as sound and healthy as possible." CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 771 October. Calves born after the 1st of June from these old cows to be the property of Mr. Duthie. Following is the full list of cows final- ly obtained from Sittyton for Collynie: Of the Venus tribe, Juliet, by Barmpton Prince, Ga- zelle, by Roan Gauntlet (both reds), and the roan Gipseywort, by Roan Gauntlet. Of the Secret tribe, the white Sobriety and the roan Sunflower, both by Roan Gauntlet; the red Spirea and the roan Sarcasm, both by Cumber- land, and the red Siren, by Commodore. Of the Pure Gold or Brawith Bud tribe, the roan heifer Gardenia, by Cumberland. Of the Vic- toria tribe, the roan Victoria 57th, by Barmp- ton Prince, and the red Victoria 58th (dam of imp. Baron Victor), by Pride of the Isles. Of the Duchess of Gloster family, the roan 21st of that name, by Barmpton Prince; the roan 24th Duchess, by Lord of the Isles, and the red 30th Duchess, by Chancellor. Of the Crocus sort, the roan Costume, by Bridesman, the red Ca- lypso, by Gondolier, and the roan Canzonet, by Standard Bearer. Of the Clipper sort, so fa- mous as bull-breeders at Sittyton, the red Cro- cus, by Pride of the Isles, the white Chrysan- themum, by 'Crusader, the red Coraline, by Cumberland, and the red Cluster Rose, by Gon- dolier. Of the Lavender family, the red Lav- ender 15th, a sixteen-year-old cow by Lord Warden, the roan Lavender 16th, by Lord 772 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE, Lansdowne, fifteen years old, the roan Laven- der 45th, by Baron Violet, the roan 46th, by Dunblane, the roan 48th, by Cumberland, and the red Lavender 50th, by Baron Violet. Of the Spicey sort, the roan Seaweed, by Perfec- tion, the roan Silverlocks, by Roan Gauntlet, and the roan Sea Foam, by Gondolier. Of the Lovely family, the fourteen-year-old red Lovely 20th, by Lord Lancaster, and the ten-year-old roan Lovely 35th, by Roan Gauntlet. In addi- tion to these he took the red fourteen-year-old Abarilla, by Barmpton Prince, and the ten- year-old red Veronica, by Pride of the Isles. Field Marshal and Mario. — In acquiring the *' cream" of the breeding matrons of the Cruick- shank herd, William Duthie virtually succeeded to the throne which had been abdicated by the sage of Sittyton. A near neighbor and good friend of the grand old man, Mr. Duthie had already had in service the famous roan Field Marshal (47870), by Roan Gauntlet out of Azalea by Caesar Augustus. This was a great bull in every sense of the term so far as conformation was concerned, but scarcely perfect in his handling qualities. He was a massive 2,500-lb. bull with a good head, wonderful back, ribs, loins and quarters, but rather bare below; and he and his stock lacked a little of that soft, mellow covering of flesh so highly prized by so many judges. In Mr. Duthie's hands he CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 773 sired some of the most celebrated show and breeding stock ever sent out from the North of Scotland. One of his sons, the famous Mario (51713), was the greatest show bull of his day in Britain. In the herd of Mr. A. M. Gordon of Newton, Mario carried the championship prizes at both the Royal and Highland shows of 1888, and at the time of his death in 1889, in the hands of Mr. C. W. Brierley, he was on a tri- umphal tour of the English circuit. Mario in- herited Field Marshal's substance and flesh, but like his sire was somewhat wanting in the ele- ment of quality.* Field Marshal was let for a period of three years to William Tait, manager for the Queen of England at Her Majesty's Shaw farm at Windsor; a stroke of policy on Mr. Duthie's part which proved fruitful of re- sults to the Scotch Short-horn interest in Eng- land. The mere fact that Royalty had taken up with an Aberdeenshire-bred sire of itself *Robert Bruce says: "Mario was a large bull. Many English judges did not have a very high opinion of him, and there is no doubt that there was some truth in what they said, viz. : 'He was like a fat steer.' I went to bviy him as a three-year-old having him in price, and was asked by Mr. Gordon to put the question of purchase aside and tell him if I considered the bull good enough to win in England. If I thought so he would much like to show him. I said I considered him good enough, and chalked out a course of shows he should be entered for. He made his first appearance at Peterboro, where he was passed over without a prize, but he was so different from the others that general attention was called to the awards. After Peterboro he won straight through for two years and did much to attract attention in England to Scotch Short-horns. "Mario, New Year's Gift, Challenge Cup, Major and Count Lavender stood out so clearly as winners that in spite of the fact that at almost all the principal English shows they were judged by breeders who had little liking for Sittyton blood they could not be set aside." 774 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE. paved the way for the breaking down of that general prejudice which had up to this time ex- isted in England against the North country type. Shortly after the return of Field Mar- shal to Collynie, in the fall of 1889, the great bull accidentally slipped and injured himself in such a manner as destroyed his further useful- ness. Scottish Archer and Count Lavender. — It was in the spring of 1890 that Deane Willis made his memorable purchase of thirty-three yearling Sittyton-bred heifers and the two bulls Scottish Archer (59893) and Captain of the Guard. This removed to the South of England a good percentage of the Cruickshank females and Bapton Manor and Collynie became the headquarters for the Sittyton sorts. Mr. Willis worked in conjunction with Mr. Duthie in the matter of sires, and both have met with much success in supplying show-yard winners and breeding animals for leading British and Amer- ican herds. Scottish Archer was a roan by Cumberland out of the Secret cow Surname by Pride of the Isles, and ultimately became the • property of Mr. Duthie, proving, as shown by the late Collynie sales, the most popular of all • the latter-day Scottish sires. A bull that did the Willis herd excellent service and extended still further the fame of the Scotch type in British show-yards was the CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 775 roan Count Lavender (60545). Soon after Mr. Willis acquired the Sittyton heifers the ques- tion of a suitable bull for them came up, and the matter was discussed with Mr. Cruickshank himself. In reference to this Mr. Robert Bruce says : " Of course he knew well the Lavender blood and also that of the sire Norseman (56233). Together we went carefully into the pedigree of the grandsire, Earl of March (33807),* and I was rather surprised to find that Mr. Cruickshank could remember the bull and speak of his many strong points as well as of a slight dip in the middle of his back. After considering the subject in his usual careful way he said : ' Mr. Willis may use Count Lav- ender on my heifers with every confidence/ The result at Bapton has most completely borne out the old man's opinion." As seen by the writer at the Warwick Royal of 1892, Count Lavender was a bull of superior finish and quality, evenly covered with mellow flesh and standing near to the ground. We thought he lacked somewhat, however, in real substance. Another good bull used in the Willis herd was Roan Robin (57992), obtained from Mr. Duthie in exchange, we believe, for Scottish Archer. He was sired by Cumberland out of Glowworm by Roan Gauntlet. * Earl of March was a roan, bred by Bruce of Burnside, from Frederick Fitz Windsor (31196) out of Fanny (the dam of Potts' imp. Duke of Rich- mond) by Royal Errant. 776 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Mr. Willis has enjoyed an extensive patron- age, and a yearling bull of his breeding, Bapton Emperor, bought after winning at the Royal by Mr. Marr, was recently resold for export to South America for £800. Argentine and the shambles. — The project of shipping to South America was not entirely abandoned. In addition to the stock bulls Commodore and Gondomar there were sent out to Argentine in the early autumn of 1889 the following cows: Juniper, Gilliver (dam of Gon- dolier and Master of the Realm), Golden Au- tumn (dam of Craven Knight), Glowworm, Godiva (dam of Gondomar), Genista, Golden Pippin, Godetia, Grapevine, Gladys, Victorias 74th, 77th and 78th, Candytuft, Corncockle, Cardamine, Crowfoot, Coltsfoot, Ceres, Christo- bel, Cynthia, Christmas Carol, Cordelia, Canter- bury Bell, Orange Blossom 30th, Barmpton Lily, Lady of the Forest and Nonpareil 20th. This included quite a group of Brawith Buds and Clippers. The following were sent to the butcher: Gay- flower, Sunflower, Catherine, Cyclamen, Con- stance, the famous Custard, then in her four- teenth year; Capsicum, Cloud Wreath, Cinna- mon, Lavenders 37th and 49th and Sea Pink. Summary of Sittyton sales. — During a pe- riod of thirty-five years, extending from 1842 to 1876, inclusive, there were sold for breeding RESIDENCE OF J. DEANE WILLTS OF BAPTON MANOR. CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 777 purposes from Sittyton 1,030 bulls at an aver- age of £36 12s. 9d. and 321 cows and heifers at an average of £32 14s. 9d. — a total of 1,351 ani- mals for £48,247, an average of £35 14s. From 1877 to 1889 practically the entire surplus of young bulls was sold to the United States and Canada after the wants of a few regular custo- mers, had been supplied. The surplus heifers were mostly exported during these same sea- sons. A close estimate of total sales made from the herd for breeding purposes for the forty- seven years ended in 1889 includes 1,912 ani- males for which there was received something over £68,000.* *The author had the pleasure of visiting1 Amos Cruickshank at his home at Sittyton in June, 1892, in company with Mr. Duthie and Col. W. A. Harris. Although then an octogenarian Mr. Cruickshank's mind was still unclouded and he readily answered all questions put to him concerning1 his life work. He was often asked not only directly but in a roundabout way which of his families he looked upon with most favor, but no one could ever get him to make any definite statement on the subject. He pointed out that many of them were, through the sires he had largely used, closely al- lied, and one could gather from his talk that in his selection of stock bulls he was influenced much by the qualifications of the dam and grandams,-his judgment of their merits being based upon a high standard of excellence in the matters of constitution, quality, milk and flesh. He was using at the time the herd was sold two bulls of the Clipper and two of the Pure Gold families, while he had retained for service a yearling bull of the Premium or Crocus sort. His death occurred at Sittyton May 1895. Mr. Bruce relates the following incident which occurred during the closing years of the old man's life, illustrating the esteem in which he was held in the highest circles : "On one of the days of the Highland Show at Aberdeen in July, 1894, a homely little ceremony took place which excited more than ordinary in- terest. From the Royal box in the grand stand his Royal Highness the Duke of York, President of the Society for the year, was witnessing the parade of the live stock. Some one mentioned to his Royal Highness that not far away on the stand a seat was occupied by that prince of cattle* breeders, Amos Cruickshank, Sittyton. At once his Royal Highness de- sired that Mr. Cruickshank be summoned to the Royal box. The octo- genarian farmer and breeder, presenting a characteristic figure with his 778 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. Moberley and Young Abbottsburn. — In Sep- tember, 1890, Col. Thomas S. Moberley of For- est Grove Farm, Richmond, Ky., began a series of show-yard campaigns, made memorable by the exhibition of the massive Cruickshank bull Young Abbottsburn 1 10679. Col. Moberley had for some years been prominent as a breeder and fitter of Bates and Bates-crossed stock, and his great coup of 1890 came as a complete sur- prise to the Short-horn breeding interests of the States. Imp. Cupbearer, at that time owned by Williams & Householder, Columbus, Kan., was the reigning king of Western show- yards. Moberley determined that if there was a bull in North America capable of coping with Cupbearer he would find him and place him at the head of his Forest Grove show stock. Like all others who at that period sought show quiet attire, long white locks, and strong modest face, obeyed the Royal command, and was received most cordially by his Royal Highness. This incident, simple and interesting in itself, gave unbounded pleasure to the crowd of onlookers, who applauded warmly as the venerable breeder was seen to make his way back from the presence of Royalty. It was a singu- larly happy occurrence that meeting of the youthful Prince and the patri- archal farmer— one of many similarly happy incidents which illumine and distinguish the movements of the R?yal family, demonstrating their ever anxious desire to recognize and duly honor noble achievement in what- ever walk of life it may be observed. "Amos Cruickshank was then in his eighty-sixth year. Although bowed down with the weight of years, he was not unnaturally anxious again to witness the Highland Show — anxious in particular that he might see the Royal Duke who had honored Scotch agriculturists by becoming the President of their National Agricultural Society and arranging to visit its show in the Granite City. Happily Mr. Cruickshank's desire was ful- filled, and by the incident just mentioned an honor was added which he had not dreamt of, but which deeply gratified him. Talking over the honor done him, he said to me : ' I feel gratified, deeply gratified, but ha'l I known what was before me I could never have left Sittyton.' " CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 779 bulls of the heaviest caliber, he found himself compelled to turn to the Aberdeenshire type. Visiting Canada he found the object of his quest — a five-year-old roan, bred and owned by Messrs. Watt. We have already related that in 1874 the late Joseph Thomson of Whitby, Ontario, imported the roan Cruickshank heifer Village Bud, by Scotland's Pride. She was the best female in the Thomson sale and was bought by Messrs. Watt of Salem, Ontario, for $925. She was in calf at the time to the roan bull Ben Wyvis (30528), bred at Sittyton from Caesar Augustus and Butterfly's Joy of the Towneley line. The resulting calf was the dark-roan heifer Village Blossom, that grew into an- exceptionally thick, short-legged, heavy cow that won first prizes in her class at the leading Canadian shows, be- sides being a member of a herd that won first place wherever exhibited. This prize cow was bred to Abbottsburn 106090, a roan, imported in 1883 by James I. Davidson, sired by Roan Gauntlet out of Amaranth by Barmpton. To this service Village Blossom produced March 2, 1885, the roan bull calf Young Abbottsburn, which at seven months old was sold to Mr. Alex. Norrie of Paisley, Ontario,* in whose pos- *Mr. Norrle is at present herd manager for Messrs. Dustin, Summer Hill, 111., and selected for them in Scotland In 1898 the prize bull Merry Hampton, possessing something' of the same thickness and feeding quality of the grand old bull which he developed in Canada . 780 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. session he remained for four years. He was shown locally as a yearling and two-year-old; but during all the years that the bull was in Nome's possession the Messrs. Watt had not seen him, although some extraordinary state- ments as to his character reached their ears. At Nome's sale in 1889 Mr. Watt bought him back, " because/' he says, "on seeing Young Abbottsburn I had to admit that the half had not been told concerning him." He resembled his sire, Abbottsburn, in a general way, but was heavier. Mr. Watt states that as a calf Young Abbottsburn was not very well cared for. He had run with his mother all through the summer months, and up to the time he was sold had received no grain and was not re- garded as an extraordinary calf. Norrie bought him at $200, and to him credit must be given for developing probably the greatest carcass ever seen in the show-yards of North America. He was used as a stock bull by Mr. Norrie, and served other cows in the neighborhood, siring some useful cattle, which, as a rule, bred better than themselves. At the time the bull was bought back from Mr. Norrie he weighed nearly 2,600 Ibs. He had been kept in a box-stall with free access to a yard of moderate size where he could take exercise at will; the door of his box being seldom closed in summer or winter. His principal feed had been roots and hay with the CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTUEY. 781 addition of a little grain, but he was a remark- ably easy feeder and a perfect picture of con- tentment always. Moberley was a shrewd enough judge of good Short-horns to realize that he had discovered in this bull a most extraordinary animal, and closed a trade for his transfer to the.States. It was at the Detroit Exposition, held the first week in September, 1890, that Young Abbotts- burn made his debut on this side of the line. He did not arrive in time to compete in the bull class,* but Colonel Moberley was allowed to place him at the head of his cattle in the herd competition. Notwithstanding the novelty of a " braw " Scotch rent-payer leading the high- bred daughters of noble Dukes, there was no escape from the decision which sent first prize to the Forest Grove lot as thus lined up. At this show Moberley was either unable or un- willing to give out information as to the bull's name or breeding, claiming to have left the pedigree at home. He was thereupon dubbed by the ring-side talent "the great unknown," * Messrs. Sanger of Wisconsin were first in aged bulls at this Exposi- tion with Prince Victoria of Hickory Park 94481, a thick-fleshed bull of great substance, sired by Earl of Richmond out of Victoria 55th by Royal Duke of Pleasant Ridge 36839; thus blending the blood of imp. Duke of Richmond with that of the Milne and Lowman & Smith Victorias already mentioned as being among the best Scotch cattle ever seen in America. This Sanger bull sired among other good things H. F. Brown's champion show bull Victor of Browndale 117621, out of the grand heifer Victoria of Glenwood 8th, which In the hands of Messrs. Sanger and Brown was for several seasons the "crack" female of the breed in the West. She was a wonderfully thick, neat, low-legged red, familiarly known as "the white-legged heifer," in allusion to her color markings. 782 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. which sobriquet clung to him long after his identity was revealed. The news of his appear- ance and of his overpowering flesh and sub- stance traveled far and fast. Cupbearer at the Ohio State Fair was renewing his triumphs of previous years, and before the first meeting of the two North Country champions occurred at the Illinois State Fair at Peoria interest in the impending duel had become intense. Probably no event in American show-yard history aroused more intense excitement than attended this memorable meeting*. The following review of this rencontre from notes made by the author at the time was published in the Breeder's Gazette for Oct. 8, 1890 : "I have read so much about Cupbearer in THE GAZETTE for the past two or three years, and was so interested in your account of "The judges upon this occasion were Messrs. Thomas Clark, Beecher, 111., one of America's best breeders and most successful exhibitors of Herefords; and Robert B. Ogilvie, late of Madison, Wis. Mr. Ogilvie, while devoted to mercantile pursuits, has been a life-long admirer of the im- proved breeds of live-stock, and for a quarter of a century has enjoyed the acquaintance of practically all of the leading breeders and exhibitors of the United States and Canada. He acquired international reputation as a breeder of Clydesdales at Blairgowrie Farm ; his exhibits of draft horses of that type, with the famous McQueen at the head, constituting one of the chief attractions of the Clydesdale dhows of their time. Fond of a good Short-horn, a recognized judge of sheep and a close student of every- thing pertaining to stock- breeding interests, Mr. Ogilvie possessed a wide and varied range of information bearing upon all the leading types of do- mestic animals. Cupbearer in his old age became the property of Milton E. Jones of Cherry Grove Farm, Williamsville, 111., in whose hands he died several years since. It cannot be said that he ever had a thorough test as a breed- ing bull, as he was passed around from one herd to another and kept in show condition for so many years that he never had full opportunity of demonstrating what he might be worth for stock purposes. In the hands of William Miller at Storm Lake, he got one of the best Scotch cows ever owned in the West— the beautiful roan Gwendoline 3d, sold to Col Mober- ley and afterward bought by Messrs. Mitchel . CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 783 Col. Moberley's new bull, that I thought I would come to Peoria and see the fun." Such was the explanation of their unaccus- tomed presence at an Illinois State Fair made to the writer by something less than a thousand cattle-growers from different States who have not been in the habit of attending the big shows. The leading professional breeders were there as a matter of course. Indeed everybody and his neighbor seemed to be present when the ring for aged bulls was called, and those who could not arrive in time telegraphed freely their regrets. The excitement was at fever heat. It was indeed to be. a "battle royal," and it can be truthfully asserted that the enthusiasm engendered by this meeting of the two greatest show bulls of recent years in the West has kindled an interest in the breeding and exhibition of good Short-horns, and spurred the flagging energies of prominent showmen in a manner quite unknown since the days of Col. King's triumphal tour, which culminated so many years ago under that famous canvas at St. Louis. Cupbearer — son of the great Rob Roy, sire of the rising English champion Challenge Cup, and victor in half a hundred fields — was first in position. "He can't be beaten" was the emphatic pro. nouncement as the superbly-poised and admirably-finished form of Mr. Householder's famous bull was fairly settled to receive the shock of show-yard assault ; and while the crowed feasted their eyes upon his noble outline Messrs. Henn and Wilhoit entered the lists with Phenomenon and Goldstick— both reds, both wearers of championship honors, both in good form, but both unequal to the task of closing with such "sluggers" as confronted them upon this occasion. "One story's good till another's told." One fa- vorite receives our plaudits till another comes upon the scene. Cupbearer's triumph was complete till Young Abbottsburn was drawn into the yard. From the moment the mighty roan entered the ring the champion of 1888 and 1889 was on the defensive. The hero of Detroit, Columbus and Indianapolis, with his world of flesh and substance, seemed to fill the entire arena. By compari- son Phenomenon (heavy as he is) seemed to shrink into a pigmy ; Goldstick's "bit fault" (standing a trifle away from the ground) grew into something which it is not, and Cupbearer himself began to lose perceptibly in breadth of beam. An attack is apt to be more confidently undertaken than a defense. Moberley had given instructions to his herdsmen to await the entrance of the king and challenge him on whatever ground he might select, and the nearer this spot was reached the more apparent became the fact that a new idol was about to be set up. True the showy Duthie bull had 784 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. defenders to the last, but wben the crown was finally sent to his thicker, meatier adversary the triumph of Amos Cruickshank's real old work-a-day type was quite complete. One bystander gave exaggerated expression to a feeling that possessed a majority of the breeders present by saying: "Cupbearer is the dude, Young Abbottsburn the solid farmer" — one way of saying that the latter is of a more eminently useful feeder's type. Cupbearer has been an almost certain winner by reason of his matchless smoothness, marvelously-spread loin, level quarters, refined conformation and gay carriage. Young Abbottsburn crushes all before him by an incomparable wealth of flesh, in addition to which his head is more truly masculine, his crops are better covered and his lower lines are fuller than those of his chief antagonist. He is a 2,800-lb. bull, standing (at the brisket) but fourteen inches from the ground, with a rich roan coat and a good mellow hide, full of that golden coloring matter that indicates the easy keeper and great "doer." He is low, wide, compact and smoothly laden with flesh of good quality from horns to hocks. He has a good, broad head and horns of the right sort, a mild, placid eye, and one of those quiet, even temperaments that tell of a disposition favorable to the putting on of meat. There is some little show of unevenness over the blades, but not so much of a roll as Cupbearer sports. He does not finish out behind the hooks quite so perfectly as the other, but is yet a grand-quartered bull and thicker in his rounds, "The king is dead; long live the king." Young Abbottsburn cost in Canada $425! Whatever of lingering doubt in relation to the feeding and flesh-carrying capacity of the Cruickshank cattle may have existed prior to this date was dispelled once for all by the ex- hibition of this wonderful bull at the American shows from 1890 to 1893. From the day of his lirst appearance at Detroit until crowned with the championship of the World's Columbian Exposition there were none to challenge his complete supremacy. Open to criticism, per- haps, upon the score of some lack of character, CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 785 Young Abbottsburn was such a feed-lot model that he fairly carried the corn-belt by storm. He was universally recognized by practical men as the sort of a beast that would convert grain and grass into prime heavy beef on short notice. Notwithstanding the efforts of his owner and his new trainer (Mr. Forbes), he did not stop putting on pounds avoirdupois until his log-like carcass pulled down the scales at over 2,800 Ibs. Such weight without height has probably never been seen in any other animal of any breed on this continent. It was scarcely to be expected that such a ponderous, short-legged show bull would prove particu- larly active or useful as a stock-getter, and un- fortunately his legacy to the breed, aside from his show-yard triumphs, was not large. Mary Abbottsburn 7th. — Basking in the sun- shine of the popularity of Young Abbottsburn, Col. Moberley's views of breeding rapidly ex- panded. He no longer subscribed to the doc- trine that all excellence within the breed was necessarily circumscribed by the comparatively narrow circle that had Kirklevington for its center. In response to a query propounded just after his purchase of the great Scotch bull as to what he proposed to do with a beast of that breeding, he replied: "Use him a little and show him 'right smart/" He did more than this;* He used him "right smart" besides 786 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. crushing all competition at the shows. The percentage of cows got in calf was, however, not large, so that the bull's progeny at Forest Grove were not so numerous as Col. Moberley would have wished. Had the bull never sired anything else, however, than Mary Abbottsburn 7th his fame would have been secure for all time. We have already noted the great success attending the use of Scotch bulls upon cows of the Young Mary tribe in the hands of Messrs. Potts, Wilhoit and Harris; a success which was repeated by many of their contemporaries. It remained for Col. Moberley and Young Abbotts- burn, however, to cap the climax, so far as this particular cross is concerned, by giving to the breed the champion show cow just mentioned. Her dam was the red Forest Belle 6th, bred by Col. Moberley from the Re nick Rose of Sharon bull Minnie's Duke of Sycamore 57120 out of Sparsewood Mary 3d, bred by Tracy Bros., Win- chester, Ky., from Cambridge Rose Duke 2d 22295 (also of Mr. Renick's favorite tribe) and sired by the 4th Duke of Geneva. She fed kindly from the start, and, as a buxom heifer of rare promise, was bought by Aaron Barber, York State's enthusiastic admirer of good Short- horns, at the round price, for those times, of $1,000 — after winning the yearling heifer cham- pionship over all breeds at the Illinois State Fair of 1894. She matured into one 'of the no- CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 787 blest cows of any breed known to the American cattle trade. She had a back like a billiard table and her wide, deep ribs and long, level quarters were wrapped in a wealth of flesh that constantly recalled the carcass of her illustrious sire. From 1894 to 1898, inclusive, Mary Ab- bottsburn 7th, in the hands of Mr. Barber, was the unrivaled queen of American Short-horn cows.* Col. Moberley fortified his show herd further by purchasing from Arthur Johnston of Canada the roan Nonpareil Chief 113034, sired by imp. Indian Chief out of the Kinellar-bred imp. Nonpareil 36th. Not so massive as Young Abbottsburn he was yet a bull of strong parts, well covered with flesh of fine quality and pos- sessing good Short-horn character. At the Columbian Exposition Col. Moberley had the honor of winning first and third in the greatest ring of aged bulls ever seen in America with Young Abbottsburn and Nonpareil Chief re- spectively. Forest Grove sale.— During the summer of 1895 Col. Moberley was accidentally drowned in the surf at Virginia Beach on the Atlantic coast, an occurrence which brought sorrow to the entire Short-horn breeding fraternity and * A colored lithograph of Mary Abbottsburn 7th's head and neck from a painting by Hills was the leading pictorial feature of the Christmas num- ber of the Breeder's Gazette for 1899. " Queen Mary," as she was often called, became during that year the property of Mr. W. A. Boland of New York city, proprietor of a stock farm at Grass Lake, Mich. 788 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. took from the ranks, while still in his prime, one of the most enthusiastic friends of the breed. He had only finished collecting by pur- chase a valuable group of Scotch-bred cows and heifers, including Princess Alice, Gwendo- line 2d, 7th Linwood Golden Drop, imp. Daisy of North Oaks, Orange Blossom 31st and imp. Victoria 79th, and was preparing to engage ex- tensively in intermingling the best Bates and Cruickshank blood. Mary Abbottsburn 7th furnished the inspiration, and while Col. Mo- berley did not live to carry out his work he set an example of broad-minded appreciation of merit wherever found that should not be with- out its lesson. His herd was sold at execu- tor's sale at Richmond in October, 1895, while the country was still prostrated from the un- paralleled financial panic of 1893 ; hence the prices paid, as has been the case in so many similar instances, were by no means commen- surate with the value of the cattle. The high- est figure was $500, given by T. R. Westrope & Son, of Harlan, la., for a Young Abbottsburn bull called The Corker. The old hero him- self, nine years old and with little prospect of further usefulness, was bought by Messrs. Wallace of Bunceton, Mo., at $475. The hand- some Linwood Golden Drop 7th went to West- ropes at $355. Cupbearer's daughter Gwendo- line 2d, one of the best Scotch cows of that CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 789 time in America, topped the females at $400, at which price she went to Messrs. Mitchel, Danvers, 111., who also took the aging Princess Alice at $300. The old Field Marshal cow's roan heifer Alice of Forest Grove, sired at Lin- wood by Galahad, was allowed to go to Texas at $220. Sixty-nine head sold for the shocking average of but $131.60, a fact which furnished ample proof of the wretched state of the Short- horn trade at that time; reflecting the wide- spread commercial and industrial depression. It is needless to say that those who had the courage to buy profited largely by their invest- ments at this sale. There is a moral to be drawn from this and similar events recorded in this volume. It is this : Cattle-breeding, like all other avocations, has its ups and downs, its bright periods of prosperity and its dark days of adversity ; but those who are so situated that they can take advantage of nominal prices whenever they prevail never fail to reap a rich reward, and usually within a very short space of time. Woodburn dispersion. — In 1891 Mr. A. J. Alexander, who had succeeded to the ownership and management of his brother's magnificent estate at Woodburn, deemed it advisable to con- clude the Short-horn breeding operations that had been for some forty years carried on upon the farm with such signal advantage to Ameri- 790 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. can cattle-breeding interests. The Woodburn management had been giving rather more at- tention to horse-breeding than to Short-horns for some time proceeding the closing-out sale, and the persistent pursuit of a policy of line breeding within the Bates tribes had not re- sulted in improving the individual quality of the cattle. The faithful and efficient herds- man, Mr. Richardson, nevertheless succeeded in producing some beautiful specimens of the breed. Perhaps the best of all the later home- bred Duchess bulls placed in service was the 26th Duke of Airdrie 34973, a roan of good substance and fine character. During the years immediately preceding the dispersion sale there had been used the imported bulls 2d Duke of Whittlebury 62574 and Oxford Duke of Calth- waite 3d (56261), the latter a roan of good flesh and substance that left some excellent stock. There had also been used the red-roan 51st Duke of Oxford 38531, a son of the famous Bow Park bull 4th Duke of Clarence. In com- mon with all other admirers of the Bates tribes of that time in the West the Woodburn man- agement had a very high appreciation of the 4th Duke of Clarence blood and a second cross of it was introduced into the herd through the medium of Oxford Grand Duke 2d 88329, sired by imp. 2d Duke of Whittlebury out of the fine 4th Duke cow Grand Duchess of Oxford 52d. CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 791 The dispersion occurred at Dexter Park, Chi- cago Union Stock- Yards, June 11, 1891; twenty- six head of Airdrie Dukes and Duchesses sell- ing for $10,920— an average of $420 each. The cattle were widely scattered; the leading buy- ers of Duchesses being Messrs. Brown and Smith of Sangamon Co., 111. The top price was $820, paid by D. A. Curtis, Addison, Mich., for 50th Duke of Airdrie. The highest price for a Duch- ess female was $780, given by Messrs. L. W. Brown & Son. Five Oxfords sold for an aver- age of $356. The stock bull Oxford Grand Duke 2d was bought by Coles & Hatch, Spring Grove, 111., at $500. Imp. Oxford Duke of Calthwaite 3d went to Elbert & Fall, Albia, la., at $450. Thirteen head of Thorndale Roses, descended from the importation of 1882, sold for an aver- age of $193. Nine Wild Eyes went for an aver- age of $162.20. Eighteen Barringtons were closed out at an average of $141.65. The entire lot, consisting of seventy-one head, fetched $18,220 — a general average of $256. Columbian Exposition awards. — The exhibit of Short-horns at the Chicago World's Fair of 1893 was beyond question the best and larg- est of which there is record in the history of American show-yard. The trying task of awarding prizes was assigned to Hon. J. H. Pickrell, H. C. Duncan and John T. Gibson, and in view of the permanent interest that must 792 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. attach to this record-breaking competition the prize list is herewith appended: Aged bulls— First to Col. T. S. Moberley's Young Abbotts- burn 110679 ; second to J. G. Robbins & Sons' Gay Monarch 92411 ; third to Col. T. S. Moberley's Nonpareil Chief 113034 ; fourth to H. P. Brown's Earl Fame 8th 107695; fifth to J. H. Potts & Son's Thistlewood 95417; sixth to H. F. Brown's Golden Rule 98268.* Two-year-old bulls— First to L. W. Brown & Sons' Young Marshal 110705 ; second to J. H. Potts & Son's Chancellor 106791 ; third to W. C. Edwards' imp. Knight of St. John ; fourth to H. F. Brown's Imperial Prince 108359; fifth to B. O. Cowan's Lord Waterloo 112746; sixth to W. G. Sanders' Elgin Chief. Yearling bulls— First to J. & W. Russell's white Lord Stan- ley ; second to H. F. Brown's Fifer 111994 ; third and fourth to Messrs. Nicholson's Valasco 21st and Norseman; fifth to J. H. Potts & Son's Lavender King 4th; sixth to Green Bros.' Royal Consul 2d. Bull calves -First to H. F. Brown's Victor of Browndale 117621 ; second to W. B. Cockburn's Indian Warrior ; third to B. O. Cowan's Plato; fourth to L. W. Brown & Son's Golddust; fifth to H. F. Brown's Lord Wild Eyes; sixth to Messrs. Russell's Prince of Kinellar. Aged cows— First to J. G. Robbins & Sons' Gay Mary ; second to H. F. Brown's Elvira of Browndale 3d; third to H. F. Brown's Victoria of Glen wood 8th ; fourth to Col. T. S. Moberley's Forest Belle 15th; fifth to Potts & Son's Emma llth; sixth to O. W. Fisher's Lovely Pride. Two-year-old heifers— First to Col. T. S. Moberley's Gem of Hickory Park 3d; second to Messrs. Russell's Centennial Isabella 25th ; third to J. H. Potts & Son's Surprise of Oakland 3d ; fourth to J. G. Robbins & Sons' Nora Davis; fifth to H. F. Brown's Red * Golden Rule was a red of superb handling quality, bred by the late Robert Miller of West Liberty, la., from imp. Goldstick 88748 and Gol- den Feather. He was dropped the property of C. B. Dustin, Summer Hill , 111., and after doing service in the Dustin herd for several seasons was sold to Mr. H. F. Brown of Browndale Farm, Minneapolis, Minn., whose show herds under the capable training of Robert Ewart for many years consti - tuted a leading feature of the Short-horn exhibits on the Western circuii. Few herds have a longer list of first and championship prizes to their credit than Browndale, and as appears from this list of Columbian awards, Mr. Brown received some of the highest honors at the greatest Short-horn show this country has ever seen. CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 793 Empress; sixth to H. F. Brown's Oxford Duchess of Brown- dale 2d. Yearling heifers— First to B. O. Cowan's Dora 6th ; second to H. F. Brown's Spicey of Browndale 2d; third to J. H. Potts & Son's Surprise of Oakland 4th ; fourth to T. W. Hunt's Beautiful Belle ; fifth to Messrs. Nicholson's 21st Maid of Sylvan ; sixth to B. O. Cowan's Phyllisia 25th. Heifer calves— First to Messrs. Russell's Centennial Isabella 30th ; second to W. C. Edward's Lady Fame ; third to J. G. Rob- bins & Sons' Nancy Hanks ; fourth to H. F. Brown's Rosemary of Browndale ; fifth to J. D. Varner's Claribelle ; sixth to Messrs. Russell's Ruby Princess. Championships— Bull of any age, Moberley's Young Abbotts- burn. Cow of any age, Robbins' Gay Mary. Herd— First to H. F. Brown ; second to T. S. Moberley ; third to Robbins & Sons ; fourth to Potts & Son ; fifth to T. S. Mober- ley; sixth to H. F. Brown. Young herds— First to Messrs. Russell; second to Z. J. Cow- an ; third to H. F. Brown ; fourth to Potts & Sons ; fifth to Messrs. Nicholson ; sixth to Moberley. Four animals, either sex, under four years old, the get of one sire— First to Messrs. Russell on progeny of Cruickshank bull Stanley ; second to Potts & Son on progeny of imp. King of Aber- deen; third to Col. T. S. Moberley on heifers sired by the Bates- bred Thorndale Rose Duke 95425 ; fourth to Messrs. Robbins on get of Gay Monarch ; fifth to Messrs. Nicholson on get of Nonpa- reil Chief ; sixth to Green Bros, on get of Royal Briton. Two animals, either sex, the produce of one cow — First to H. F. Brown's Elviras of Browndale 3d and 4th ; second to Messrs. Potts' Surprises of Oakland 3d and 4th ; third to Messrs. Russell's Prince Royal and cow Queen Mary ; fourth to Messrs. Robbins' Nora Davis and Nancy Hanks ; fifth to T. W. Hunt's Beautiful Belle and Silver Flower ; sixth to T. S. Moberley on progeny of Forest Belle 6th. A series of championship competitions, open to all beef breeds, was arranged by the management, and in this the reputation of the Short-horn was well sustained against all comers. Prizes were awarded by a committee consisting of J. G. Imboden, De- catur, 111., William Stocking, Rochelle, 111., and J. C. Snell of Can- ada. In the herd competition Messrs. J. G. Robbins & Sons carried first prize with the Marr-bred Alexandrina bull Gay Monarch, the cow Gay Mary, two-year-old Nora Davis, the yearling heifer Lady Verbena and heifer calf Nancy Hanks. The second and 794 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. third prizes in this competition were won by Herefords, and the fourth and fifth by Short-horns owned respectively by Messrs. Moberley and Brown. The young herd prize was also won by Short-horns, consisting of the Canadian lot shown by Messrs. Russell, headed by the white yearling Lord Stanley. Col. Mober- ley's Young Abbottsburn was adjudged best aged bull of any breed on exposition, with Mr. Clough's Hereford Ancient Briton second and Robbins' Gay Monarch* third. Russell's yearling Lord Stanley carried the yearling bull championship, and in bull calves Mr. Cockburn, also of Canada, won with Indian Warrior, sired by Arthur Johnston's imp. Sittyton Victoria bull Indian Chief. The heifer calf championship was won by Mr. Russell of Canada, with Centennial Isabella 30th. The $1,000 special championship prize for best ten head of cat- tle of any breed bred by the exhibitor was awarded to Mr. H. F. Brown by a committee consisting of Wallace Estill, Richard Gib- son and H. H. Clough. J. H. Potts & Son received second in this competition, Mr. Van Natta third with Herefords and Messrs. Moberley and Robbins fourth and fifth with Short-horns. Recent importations.— The close of the cen- tury finds the Scotch blood the prevailing fashionable element on both sides of the water. Sires of North-country breeding are in ser- vice in most of the leading collections of the breed in the United States and Canada. Eng- lish sentiment is still somewhat divided upon the subject of the Scotch cross, but under the leadership of Messrs. Deane Willis — whose win- nings at the great English shows of recent years with stock of Aberdeenshire descent have * Gay Monarch was a roan, sired by William of Orange out of an Atha- basca dam, and was for several seasons one of the star attractions of the Short-horn exhibit at Western shows. He not only carried many first and championship prizes, but in the Bobbins herd sired show cattle of out- standing1 merit. He was a smooth, deep-fleshed bull, possessing more character than Young Abbottsburn, and must be ranked with the Duke of Richmond and Baron Victor as one of the most valuable breeding animals of the Scotch type ever used in the West. He died the property of Messrs. Robbins in 1899. CHAMPION SHOW BULL ST. VALENTINE 121014. Bred by Guardhouse