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SHORT-HORN CATTLE
A SERIES OF
Historical Sketches, Memoirs and
Records
OF THE
Breed and its Development
:n the
UNITED STATES AND CANADA.
By ALVIN H. SANDERS,
Managing Editor of " The breeder's Gazette."
SECOND EDillON.
CHICAGO :
Sanders Publishing Co.
1909.
T'^^^
\ .
?!>• Lfb ^^
C^ .
Oopyright« 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 g^eat 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 oattle-growlDff— Birthplace and origin of the breed —Ear-
liest known breeders —Some foundation stock &-24
CHAPTER n-DEVELOF^ENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE.
Faults of the oldTeeswater stock— The Bakewell experiments —
Ketton and Barmpton — The original Duchess cow — "The Beau-
tiful Lady Maynard"— The bull Hubbaok— Foljambe and in-
breeding — Favorite (25'i) an extraordinary sire— *' The Durham
Ox'» — ** The White Heifer That Traveled " — The " alloy " blood
—As to Robert Colling — "The American Ck)w"— The Ketton
Dispersion -~ The Barmpton sales— Pre-eminence of the Ck>ll-
ings. 25-61
CELAPTER m-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 IsabeUas— 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'sNorfoIk— TheMatchemoowand the
Oxfords — A show-yard disappointment— The Oxford Royal of
1830— Prizes at Cambridge -A "brush'* with the Booths —
Duke of Northumberland (1940) —Importance of tabulated ped-
igrees—The Waterloos- Wild Eyes Tribe— The Cambridge
(Bed) Roses— Foggathorpefamily— 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. . « 68-1 10
(6)
VI TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER V— PALMY DAYS AT KILLERBY AND WAR-
LABY
Bracelet and Neoklaoe — Buckinipluun — John Booth's sale — War-
laby and its show-yard wonders— Faith, Hope and Oharity—
Crown Prince (10087)— Isabella Buckingham and other celeb-
rities—The Blossoms and Windsor (4013) — Bride, Brides-
maid and Bride Elect — The quartette of " Queens **- VlTandiere,
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
"Flllpails"— Fawkes of Famley Hall — William Torr— The
long roll of honor. .- 143-163
CHAPTER Vn-FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA.
Character of the Gough & Biiller 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-
ers purchases— Ancestress of the Louans— Walter Dun's im-
portations. 164-188
CHAPTER Vm— DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY
HERDS
Feeding for seaboard markets— Ohio Importing Company— Felix
Renick and confreres in England— Whltaker'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. Hutohcraft's importation
— Fayette County Importing Co.— Importations into Tennessee
— William NelTs importation — Wait and other importations —
First Bates bull for Kentucky 189-224
CHAPTER IX— EASTERN IMPORTATIONS-1880 to 1850.
New York importations — Vail's purchases of Bates cattle— Whlt-
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 —Thomdale and the Duchesses — ReriTsl of in-
terest in the West— Scioto Valley Importing Co.— Madison Ca
TABLE OF CONTENTS. Vll
K>.) Oo.— Nortbem Kentucky Association >- Soott CQi.XKj.) Im-
porting Oo.— Clinton Oo. (O.) Association— Clark Oo. (O.) Ca-
ll- A. Alexander of Woodbum — First of the Alrdrle Duchesses
^The Alexander Importation of July, 186S— Subsequent ship-
ments to Woodbum Farm- Importations by the Shakers—
James & Matson (Kentucky)— Wilson & Seawright <0.) —
Mason and Bracken (Kentucky) Association— Livingston (3o.
(S. Y.) Association — Thomas Richardson (New York) — Dr.
H. WendeU (New York) -J. O. Sheldon (New York)-R F.
Nichols (Lfonisiana)- First importations Into Indiana— An
early importation to Wisconsin— The Dllnois Importing Co. —
Founding of the American Herd Book. 288-286
C3HAPTER XI-SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK.
A new era dawns— Duke of Alrdrle (12730) —Gtoorge M. Bedford's
lease of *' The Duke '*— Jere Duncan and Duke of Alrdrle 2743—
Abram Beoiek and Alrdrle 2478— Alrdrle a bull-breeder— In-
breeding of the Rose of Sharons— The Vanmeters— Young
Phyllis— Young Mary— The Warflelds— Benick 908— Musca-
ioon 7W7— ^e Loudon Duchesses — Adoption of Bates type
andmethods 287-332
CHAPTER Xn-PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST.
Ilrst 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. B. Duncan and Minister 6888— J. M. Hill's
sale— J. H Plckrell— Sweepstakes fiZao—Qeu. Grant 4825—
Baron Booth of Ijancaster. 333-376
CHAPTER XIII-THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM."
'Boyal '* honors for Bates cattle —Duchesses exported to England
—The Qriyid Duchesses — Hayering Park sale — Sheldon of Oe-
nera- Qetkera cattle abroad— Walcott & CJampbell — 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 7330- King's riotory at St
Louis — W. R. Duncan's sale — The beginning of liye-stock jour-
nalism. 377-417
CHAPTER XIV-AN ERA OF EXPANSION.
Hillhurst and Lyndale operations— Exportations to England —
(3lark Ca (E^y.) Importing Ck».— High prices in Ulinois- The
great trade of 1872- Oakland FaTorite 10546 and Loudon Duke
eth 10809— The first National conyention— Opposition to pre-
Talling" fashions "developed. 418-433
Vill TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XV— THE SENSATION OP SEVENTY-THREE.
Spring sales of 1873— Danmore's big deal — Summer sales— New
York Mills dispersion — Kello's mistake — Sources of deteriora^
UoQ— 4th Duke of Qeneva— English sales of 1873. 434-458
CHAPTER XVI-A GOLDEN AGE.
Spring sales of 1 874 — Lyndale sale at Dexter Park — Other Western
eyents- Kentaoky summer sales— Closing events of 1874— The
sales of 1875 — Glen Flora dispersion — Kissinger's sale — Emott
& Kent— Spears and the Nelly Blys— Piokrell's great sale —
Jaoohs' sale at West Liberty — Dexter Park auctions — The
Ayery & Murphy sale — Long prices at Meredith's— Airdrie
Duchesses at II 8,000 each — Big sales in the Blue Grass — Push-
ing the Princesses — The Trans-MissLssippl trade — $3,600 for a
Scotch heifer — Groom importations and sale — Other important*
transactions — All records broken at Dunmore — Torr *s Triumph
— Additional importations— Another Benick exportation —
North Elkhorn (Ky.) importation — Closing events of 1875. . . 45(MS00
CHAPTER XVU— THE TURN OF THE TmE.
Hon. George Brown and Bow Park — 4th Duke of Clarence — Opening
sales of 1876— Potts buys imp. Dukeof Richmond— Col. Hol-
loway*8 big average — Albert Crane pays 123,000 for an Airdrie
Duchess— $17,900 for 14th Dukeof Thorndale — Closing events
of 1876 - Piokrell & 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 stem and wild'*- Science, "roots** and Short-horns—
Feed-lot considerations paramount— Crossing the border—
Robertson of Ladykirk — Rennle of Phantassie — Barclay of
Ury — Hutoheson of Monyruy— Grant Duff of Eden— Brawith
Bud " Simpson and Buchan Hero — Hay of Shethin. . . . . 549-575
CHAPTER XrX-AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTON.
A new type sought— The brothers Cruiokshank— The farm at Slt-
tyton— General plan pursued — The first of the Violets — Venus
tribe— The family of MLmulus Pico tee 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 00NTBNT8. IX
Viotorias— The Lianoasters — The Brawith Buds — Dnohesses of
Oloster — The Secrets — The Cicely sort — Avalanche — Violette
—The liOTelys — Barmpton Roses— The Splcys— The Layen-
ders— EMrst Sittyton bulls— Fairfax Royal (0667)— Hudson
(0228). Report (10701) and Veirei Jacket (10906)— Matadore
(11800) — Plantagenet (11006) —Doctor Buckingham (14406)— The
Baron (13833) — Lord Bathurst (15173)— Master Butterfly ad
(14918)— John Bull (11618) — Lord Raglan (1S244)— The Czar
(20047) — Lancaster Comet (11663)— (Champion of England
(17506) —Windsor Augustus (10187) —Forth (17866) - Lord Privy
Seal (16444) —Prince Alfred (27107) —Other outside bulls— (^n-
oentration of the Champion of England blood — Scotland's Pride
and Pride of the Isles — C^sar Augustas — Royal Duke of Qlos-
ter— Roan 'Gauntlet— Bar mpton — CHxmberland 576-(M4
CHAPTER XX-OTHER NORTH CX)UNTRY HERDS.
Douglas of Athelstaneford — Campbell of Kinellar — The Nonpa-
reils, Miss Ramsdens and Golden Drops — Early Kinellar sires
— Booth cross disappointing — Marr of TJppermill — The Maudes
— The Missies — The Princess Royals — The Alexandrinas — The
Roan or Red Ladys — The Bessles — The Claras — The Emmas —
The Ooldies — Sittyton sorts — Early sires at Uppermill — Heir .
of Englishman (24122) - Cherub 4th (83380) —Athabasca (47360)
—William of Orange (SO604) — Later Sittyton sires at UppermlU
— Lethenty— CoUynie. 645-670
CHAPTER XXI— RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA.
Early importations into Ontario— First Sittyton cattle in Cianada
— 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 L Davidson —
Hon. John Dryden — Arthur Johnston — Miscellaneous Canadian
importations — The Hes importation intoDUnois— Robt Milne
of Kelvin Grove — X^owman 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 WUhoit herd. 671-711
CHAPTER XXn— CLOSING EVE3NTS OF THE CENTURY.
Sale of the HUlhnrstDuchesses— Richard Gibson's sale of 1882—
Woodbum 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
Goklen Drops — Baron Lavender 2d — Imp. Craven Knight— A
X TABLE OF CONTENTS.
searoh for sires — Prinoess Alice — Lin wood's salutary influence
—J. J. Hill of Nortb Oaks-Hope's show herds of 1887 and 18»
—Luther Adams* Importations— The shipment of 1887— Gup-
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 Slttyton herd— The
Gruiokshank cows at OoUynie— Field Marshal and Mario—
Scottish Archer and Count Lavender — Argentine and the sham-
bles-Summary of Sittyton sales— Moberley and Young Ab-
bottsbnm — Mary Abbottsbum 7th— Forest Qrove sal»- Wood-
bum dispersion— Columbian Exposition awards— Recent im-
portations—Herd-book consolidation 712-798
CHAPTER XXm— A DUALrPURPOSE BREED.
UniTersal adaptability — Feed-lot fayorites — '* 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 800-888
CHAPTER XXIV— THE LAMP OF EXPERIENCE.
What constitutes sttooessT- Inbreeding— Herd-book registration
—Color — Handling quality— Constitution, character and con-
formation—Primary points in management— Does showing
pay T— Selling the surplus— About animal portraiture— Tribal
designation— Dignity of the breeder's calling— The future. .. 880-872
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
Thb 8th (BSD) AND IOth (roan) Duchbss OF Gbnbya. PwntigpUce.
ChUUJM AHD RoBBBT GOLLIBO FACING PAGB 26
KbttohHall .80
*^Whitb Hbifbb That Traybllbd." 41
COMBT(166) 49
Thomas Booth 66
Thomas Batbs 68
Duchbss bt Daisy Bull (186) 74
Kbtton 1st (709) . . 74
Bblybdbbb (1706) 84
Clbyblanv Lad (S407) 90
NoBFOLK (3877) 90
"Pbt" Duchbss 84th 96
DuKB OF Northumbbbland (1940) 101
Duchbss 42d and Duchbss 43d 106
Warlabt Housb. 117
Nbcklacb * . . 120
Bracblbt. 120
Birthday 126
YlYANDIBRB. 126
Commandbr-in-Chibf (21461) 187
IiADY FbAOBANT. 142
At thb Gatbs of Woodburn 288
Fblix Rbnick 277
Capt. Jambs N. Brown 277
Gbn. Sol Mbrbdith 277
Thomas Wilhoit 277
Abbam Rbnick 287
B. p. Vanmbtbb 287
Gborob M. Bbdford 287
William Warfibldi 287
IMF. DuKB of AmDRIB (12780) 801
LiouDON Duchbss 2d and Daughter 822
J. H. PiGKRFLL 888
CoL. William S. King ..888
(11)
XU LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
J. H. KiBBINQBB. 888
J. H. Spbabs 888
Bakon Booth of Lancastbr 7585 809
Cou WiiiMAM S. King's Prize Herd 400
Simon Bbattib 484
Richard Gibson ..484
JohnR. Paob 484
John Thornton . . 434
14th DuKB or Thorndale (28450) 460
4th DuKB OF Gbnbya (30058) 450
Gborgb W. Rust 467
Hon. T. C. JoNBS 487
CJoL. Jambs W. Judy 467
Lewis F. Allen . . 467
William Torr 407
T. C. Booth. 407
Highland Flower 508
IOth Duchess of Airdrie 510
Imp. Maid of Honor 510
Hon. H. M. Cochrane's Sale. 5i7
Amos Cruickshank 576
Sitttton Housb ..644
The **Stbadino" at Uppermill 665
A Glimpse of Colltnie. . . ' 660
J. H. Potts & Son's Show Herd 671
Young Abbottsbubn 110670 712
CJOL. W. A. Harris 727
T. S. MOBBRLET 727
William Miller 727
J.H.POTTS 727
Royal Hero 113611 742
James I. Davidson. 748
John Drtden 748
Hon. M. H. Ck>CHRANB 748
John Hopb 748
William Duthie 762
J. Deanb Willis 762
S. Campbell. 752
W. S. Marr 762
New Year's Gift (57796) 759
Field Marshal (47870) .. 772
Rbsidbnob of Dbane Willis of Bapton Mamob. .. ..776
LIST OP ILLUSTRATIONS.
Xlll
Elyiba or Bbowmdalb 3d and Cai.v 792
St. VAUiHTDr» 121014. 796
Imp. Babon Cbuiokshank 100297 796
RUBBBTA AND ROSB O'G&ADT 796
Wnj>QuBBN2D 800
WHI8KBB8 800
JOHH D. GiLLBTT 809
DowagbbSd 822
MoiXT MniJGBNT 822
Jbwbl2d 824
KitttClat4th 829
SCHOOLEB. 829
CoixbgbMoobb 882
CoLLBGB Bbllb 8d 882
RowBNA 2d 8&5
Mi88 Bklladbum 6tb. 889
Bapton Pbabl. 848
CiCBLT. 848
Bbbbd Ttpbs Shown bt Photoorapht. . . . . . . 868
Show Hbhd or Gbobgb Habribon 808
Champion Aobd Hbbd 1904. 866
FaibQubbn 860
CHAPTER L
THE OLD SHORT-HORN COUNTRY AND
ITS CATTLE.
One bright morning in the month of Jane 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 centnry 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 dam of
(«)
10 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOEN OATTLB.
Hubback grazed; there the farms once occu-
pied by Charles and Robert Colling; yonder
Tarm 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 posseaalon of tne Bates Ducheaaea at
Mow York Mllla In 1873, when 198 head of Short-horn cattle aoki for tlM
aatoolahUw total of I380,i%.
THE OLD SHOBT-HOBN OOUNTBT. 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 prettiesi
12 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
little gai-dens fancy can portray. So cobily
does it seem ensconced that the wintry blasts
from the neighboring German ocean snrely
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,
Boan 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 Boyal Agricultural Society of England is
TBS OLD 8H0BT*H0RN OOUNTRT. 18
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 Eirklevington, 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, aa
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 8H0RT-H0BN OATTLB.
will command a &tir price as yearlings and
two-year-olds for feeding purposes and the
heifers possess the requisite size and quality
fitting them for retention in the 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 lbs.
in weight, occasionally making 2,000 lbs., and
with good farm keep at maturity should aver-
age say 1,400 lbs. in working condition. Aged
bulls in high flesh occasionally weigh up to
2,800 lbs., but experienced breeders prefer sires
that average from 2,000 lbs. to 2,400 lbs., 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
THIS OLD 8H0RT-H0BN OOUNTBT. 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 wonld 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 modem 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 Tn Bbbsdib*b OAzam bare often ezproMed the wish
that this rhetorical gem might be glyen permanent setting in some form.
It was originally a part of a msgaslne article written hj Mr. IngaUs many
years ago. The mueh-admlred passage Is secordlngly given a place here:
**Next in importance to the dlTlne profusion of water, light and air,
tJiose three physical facts which render existence possible, may be reck-
oned the unlTersal beneflcenoei>f 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 feyer is ended, and the foolish wrangle cf
the market and the forum is closed, grass heals oyer the scar which our
descent into the bosom of the e^rth has made, and the carpet of the infant
bocomes the blanket of the dead.
"Orass is the forgiyeness of Nature— her constant benediction. Fields
trampled with battle, saturated with blood, torn with the ruts of cannon,
rrow green again with grass, and carnage la forgotten. Streets abandoned
by traffic become grass-grown, like rural lanes, and are oblltersted. For-
ests decay, haryes^s perish, flowers yanlsh, but grass is Immortal. Be-
l^agured by the sullen hosts of winter it withdraws Into the impregnsble
fortress of its subterranean vitality and emerges npon the solicitation of
spring. Sown by the winds, by.wandering birds, propagated by the subtle
horticulture of the elements which are its ministers and senrants, it
softens the rude outlines of the world. It eyades the solitude of deserts,
climbs the inaccessible slopes and plnnaciles of mountains, and modifies
the history, character and destiny of nations. Unobtrusiye and patient, U
has Immortal ylgor and sggresslon. Bsnlshed from the thoroughfare and
fields, it bides its time to return, snd when yigilanoe is relaxed or the
dynasty has perished it silen^y resumes the throne from which It has been
expelled but which It never abdicates. It bears no blasonry of bloom to
charm the senses with frsgranse or splendor, but its homely hue is more
enchanting than the lily or the rose. It yields no fruit in earth or air. yet
3houlQ its harvest fail for a single year famine would depopulate the
world."
THE OLD SHORT-HORN OOUNTRT. 17
nently practical pursuit» and in the Short-hom
breed of cattle has given to the world a vari-
ety of foim 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
CSanada 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-hom — 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 OATTLE.
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 jDredominated in Yorkshire and
adjacent counties until the seventeenth cen-
tury. At this date two other well-known types
existed in England, the "pied" cattle of Lin-
colnshire, with "more white than other colors,"
and the red stock of Somerset and 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-HOBN GOUNTBT. 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-homed type of cattle existed on the
Yorkshire estates of the Earls and Dul-ies 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 Stanwick 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 abont this
same period. Other prominent breeders prior
to the year 1780 were Sir William St. Quintin,
Sir James Pennyman* and Mr. Milbank of
Bamingham. 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 1787,
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, Bobson,
Snowdon, Waistell, Richard and William Bar-
ker, Brown, Hall, Hill, Best, Watson, Baker,
Thompson, Jackson, Smith, Jolly, Masterman,
Wallace and Bobettsbn. 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 Indaoe his tenants to p«y more attention to the quality of tbelr
•took Sir Jamea Is said to hate frequently made small ws^ers as to whose
oxen wonld weigh the most and brlnr the best i>rices. Cadwallader Bates
sasrs: "The farm accounts commencinir from 1745 regularly recorded the
salea 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 strooff day no
turnips wero rrown, and the cattie were kept in winter on only hay and
straw. Notwithatandlnr'thia, the flye-year-old ateers teneraUy aTaraped
THE OLD SHOBT-HOBir OOUNTBT. 21
after thd 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 foundatioh 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 shorty
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
reput9ition as the sire of another one of the
breed-founders known as "James Brown's Red
Boll (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. Goates,
who collected the material for the first volume
of the herd book, which still bears his name,
22 A HISTdEY 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
Robert CoUing'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 ref ens evidently to his " touch," as the handling quaUtiee of breed-
In? stock were carefully regarded by the original ImproTen of the brenL
THE OLD SHOBT-HORN COUNTRY. 23
Masterman^s Bull (422), Paddock's Bull (477),
William Bobson'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 iand 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-hom 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 11.
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 ban vivanfs 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
(26)
26 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
modem 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 laws 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 stoim 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
DKVELOPMENT 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 tha 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 13akewell to demon-
strate to the stock-breedei*s 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 Bake well's
contempoi-aries. 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 ii^ their work the Bakewell system
was arousing much curiosity, even among those
conservatives who had stoutly opposed the
theory.
Bakewell did not use Short-homs 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-homs. While he
achieved a permanent success with his sheep
30 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN OATTLB.
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 modem 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-hom 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"
I?
I
II
to C
|s
II
t
H
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
ID shape and very inclinable to make fat.*^
"The Beautiful Lady Maynard."— In 1786
32 A HISTORY OF SHOBT-HOBN CATTLE.
Gabriel Thornton, who had lived with Mr. May-
nard of Eryholme as bailiff for some ten years,
entered Charles CoUing'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 ix) 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 Eetton 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 sevei*al 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 Robert was not idle. The
* It 18 said that Mrs. Colling was quite as much Interested in cattle-
tyreedin? as her huBbaud, and havinir no children she had leisure to indulge
her love for the stock.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPROVED TYPE. 33
aathor of one of the latest English contribu*
tions to Short-horn literature* asserts that
in Dachess, Cherry, Daisy and Lady Maynard
Charles Colling was possessed of '' the four best
short-homed 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:
'* 1% was the opinion of all good judges in my early days that
had it not been for the boll Hubback and his descendants the old,
Taluable 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
Taluable record ; as it is, it is undeserving of notice, and ought no
longer to bo 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."
•Oadwallader John Bates of Langlcy CasUo, NorthumherlaiuL
8
34 A HISTORY OP 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
Hnrworth. He had onoe been a tenant farmer and bred Short-horn cattle
which, when leaving his farm to live at Hurworth, he sold all off,
ezceptinff one choice little cow he took with him, and as he had no i>asture
of his own for her to ffraze 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, Ave miles out from Darlington. The dam of the calf t&king on
flesh readily would not again breed and after some months was fattened
and slaughtered. Growing to a useful age, the young bull in 178S was found,
at six years old, iu the hasds of a BCr. Fawcett, living at Haughtou Hill,
not far from Darlington.
Mr. Wright (a noted Shortrhom breeder) says that Charles CtoUlng,
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). Cbark^s Colling, however, as
the merits of the beast were talked over between himself and others, did
not appear particularly impressed with them. But Bobert Colling and his
neighbor, Mr. Waistell of Alihill, who had also seen the bull, 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 Ceilings 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 irulneaa
(about 160) and took him home, where he was jointly owned and used to
their separate herds, Colllnir having Bcventeen and Walstell eleven cows
served by him during the season. In the f ollowlnir November (1788) Charles
Colllnir. having chang€>d his opinion of the merits of the bull, offered hla
owners elfrht gruineaa (about 140) for him, and they sold him.
Charles ColUnf kept the bull two years, using him freely In his herd,
and then sold him late In 1T86. at ten years old, to a Mr. Hubback, at North
Seton. In Northumberland. The bull had no name when Colling sold him.
Hr. Hubback used blm (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 HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN OATTLB.
Shorfc-hom, 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 Ceilings 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 mto his blood, which no doubt
could be easily done, as he was, both before
and after the CoUings 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 inbrae^g. — Among other
good heifers left at Ketton by Hubback was
one called Haugbton, said to have been "fine
and neat." Mr. Colling had apparently not a
high enough opinion of Hubback at that time.
BEVELOPMBNT OF THB IMPBOVED 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, '^tbick 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 Ceiling's best cows, among
others the rich red-roan Lady Maynard, the
produce being a heifer called Phoenix. To the
cover of Foljambe Lady Maynard's Dalton
Duke heifer Young -Strawberry dropped the
bull Bolingbroke (86), called by Coates the
best bull he ever saw. It is at this point that
the Bakewell system was first tried. The Lady
Maynard heifer Phoenix (by Foljambe) was
bred to the Young Strawberry (daughter of
Lady Maynard) bull Bolingbroke (by Foljambe),
the produce of this cldse 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 Ceiling's Ben (70). According to Bell
38 A HISTORY OF SHOBT'HOBN OATTLK.
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
sopie white on their faces, thus resembling
somewhat in their markings the modem 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.
DBVELOPMBNT OF TAB 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 boll
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 chiefiy 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 CoUings, 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, it 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
iSteer Colling fed up to his greatest flesh-taking
capacity until nearly five years old, when he
had attained a reputed weight of 3,024 lbs.
He was then purchased to be exhibited by Mr.
flulmer of Harmby, in February, 1801, for £140
(J700). 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 lbs.; tallow, 156 lbs.; hide, 142
lbs.; total, 2,620 lbs. 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 lbs.
«The White Heifer That Traveled."— About
the year 1806 Robert Colling reared a purely-
bred heifer, afterward called the '* White Heifer
That Traveled,'' which he sent out through the
principal agricultural counties for exhibition.
The date of her birth is not given in the first
volume E. H. B., where her pedigree is recorded.
She was also got by Favorite (252) from a
dam called *' Favorite Cow," bred by R. Colling.
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
2,3(X) lbs., and her dead weight was estimated
at 1,820 lbs.
There were other extraordinary, large and
heavy cattle bred and fed by the Short-horn
breeders contemporary with the CoUings, 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 suflBcient 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. Ceiling'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 bulls, 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, "O'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
DBVBLOPMENT 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 SHOBT-HOBN OATTLX.
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.
AmoDg the earliest of them were Broken-horn
(95), by Hubback (819); Punch (518), by
Broken-horn; Ben (70), and Twin Brother to
Ben (660), by Punch; ColUng'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 181 1,
bred by Mr. Hustler, property of Mr. T. Bates;
got by Yarborough (706), 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-greatrgrandam 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 Bed Rose is again re-
corded as Bed Bose 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 Bed Bose 1st,
which his father bought of Bobert 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 ^OET-HORN OATTLB.
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 Eetton 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-
^
p
2
«a
o
I
2
o
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/'
brought 400 guineas.*
• We qaote xelatlTe to the sale from Thornton's droolar of April, 1M9,
M follows:
*«The sale was on a fine Octolwr day, and early in the morning people
rode and drove to Ketton, leavlmr their horses and g1^ at the adjolnlnff
(arma; ail the straw-yards were full, and the throng' at the sale Immense;
everythtnir was eaten up, so that bread had to be sent for into Darliuirton
4
50 A HISTORY OF SHOiiT-HORN OATTLK.
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. KinvBton, the auctioneer, sold the cattle by the sand-irlaBS, and In ac-
cordance with the cuBtom of the time reoeiyed ahont flye guineas for the
buBlnees, the work of the sale falling more on the owner than the auction-
eer. The cattle were not fed up for the sale, hut kept naturally, and Bold
when they were in ^reat condition from natural keep.
"The Ketton etook at this time is described by Mr. Wriffht as of rreai
sise and substance, with fine, lonr hind Quarters; the space from the hip to
the rib was lon^ 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 consiBted in their extraordinary inclination to fatten. On handling
the skin was loose and pliant, and the feel imder it remarkably mellow and
kind. The color was greatly varied, red, red-and-whlte, 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 spoU.
" 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 deeoendanU are now In existence in the neighborhood
of Stockton-on/Tees and Malton, Torks. Countess [alloy] was undoubtedly
the finest cow in the sale, but she wanted hair and milk; in character she
oame nearest to Mason's style, and her back and belly formed parallel
lines. She prodaced three heifers and the bull Constellation (les). in MaJ.
Bodd'B possesBloo, and died in 1818. Sellna [alloy] had the style of her
dam, CounteBB, bat not her magnificent appearance; she bred ten calves at
Denton Park, and her desoendanU in the ninth and tenth generations are
sUll in existence at Siddington, Glouoesterahire. Lady lacked elegance,
but had great substance and good hair; in color she was red-and-whlte.
"Lily, pure bred, sold to MaJ. Budd for 400 guineas (0,Utl), a splendid
white cow, was the highest-priced female, but did nothing in Mai. Budd's
possession. Daisy, a small roan cow, but a grand milker, was most fruitr
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 was after-
ward bought by Mr. Bates, who reckoned her to be the finest specimen of
quality imaginable; she had a long, thick, downy ooat, with a superb flesh
underneath, which to a superficial observer appeared hard, the cow being
in a rapidly advancing condition. Cora [alloy], out of the KXKguineas
cow Countess, had a pretty red frame, but ugly cock horns, and was re-
sold to Mai. Bower, who bred ten calves from her. Magdalene was a litue
red cow, with a large bag and belly and short quarters; although the dam
of the celebrated red-and-whlte bull Blyth Comet (86), 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 CoHlng reserved was Magdalena [by (^met,
dam by Cupid], a great favorite and an extraordinary milker, glTlng six-
DEVELOPMENT OP 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 twUe a day. Hr. Whltaker prevailed upon Charlee OolUng to
let him haye her: the numerous and well-known * Chaff * trihe la deeoended
from this cow.
" Comet (156) was the ^reat attraction of the sale, and his close hreedinv
Clqr Favortte (MS), dam hy ravorite (SS2), out of Favorite's (S5S) dam], did
not detract from his value or appearance. Charles Colling declared him to
be the best hull he ever bred or saw. He was a beautiful llrht roan, dark
[red] neck, with a fine masculine head, broad and deep breast, shoulders
well laid back, crops and loins rood, hind quarters long, stralirht and well
packed, thighs thick, twist full and well let down, with nioe straight hocks
and hind legs. He had f air-sised home, ears large and hairy, and a gran-
deur of style and carriage thai 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 oiay have arisen from a violent sprain that he re-
ceived when a calf. When brought Into the ring he was put up at 000
gnineas. Thomas Newton, a small dairyman at Bishop Auckland, bid 860
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 (16,000). Mr John Button of Marske, who was unable to get
to the aale, bid 1,000 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
paddoOk, with a loose box in the comer. The condition of purchase was
that the four buyers should send twelve cows each annually to him, and
Mr. Wright was to have one extra for his keep. Mr. Wright died in the
meantime, and Comet gradually sank, his body breaking out Into sores.
Bemns (660) is supposed to have been his last calf. Mies Wright kept a
man expressly to attend to Comet, and when the bull died he was burled in
the center of the paddock, and a chestnut tree planted on hi a 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 slae was grubbed up on the 8d of February, 1866, 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 glaae case as a
curiosity at Stapleton, near Darlington.
"North Star (468), own brother to Comet, and a year younger, was used
and died at Gen. Simpeon's in Fifeahire; he was a little lighter in color but
62 A HISTOBY OP SHOBT-HORN CATTLE.
Durinsf all that time, like his brother Gbarles,
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 SB fine In quality, or perhaps rather thicker, thomrh not such a per.
f ectly elegant animal as Comet 7ounff Phoenlz, their dam, only produoea
one other calf, a heifer, that died younff.
"Jftalor (»7), a nice trail, but not particularly handaome, and of a red-
and-whlte color, beirot much «rood stock In Lincolnshire for many years.
He was hired by Mr. John Charge, who bred Western Comet (680) by him,
out of Gentle Kitty. Western Comet was acknowledged to be the best bull
and finest stock-iretter ever brought Into Cumberland. He was used to his
daughters and granddaughters, and from this dose alliance came the
Wbarfdale tribe, recently so successful In Ireland. Petrarch (A88) was a
splendid-looking bull, but wanted hair, whilst Northumberland (461), who
had big knuckles, was used, like Oealan (476) In Westmoreland, for seTeral
seasons, both becoming celebrated sires. Ketton (346) also showed strong
knuckles and eventually went Into Nottlnghamrhlre. Albion di) Is said to
have done more good than any other bull used at Klllerby CThoraas
Booth's]. Touug Duchess, known afterward as Duchess 1st [bought bF
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 aa her grandam, the Dnrhnsa. 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 Uke that of 1818 at-
tracted wide attention. The forty-six head
brought £2,273 15s. 6d., an average of £49 Ss.
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 wap
£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 Cornet^ 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. 6cl., and the thirteen
favorite Wildairs averaged £142 178. 6d."
Fre-eminence of the CoUings.— While the
Short-hom 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 CoUings really earned the right to
be called the first great improvers of the mod-
ern Short-hom, 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:
PBBaiinlXD TO
MR. CHARLES COLLING,
THX GBKAT IMPBOYIB OV THS 8HOBT-HOBNBD BBBBD OF CATTLB,
BY THB BBXEDBBB
WBOSB MAMB8 ABK ANNXXBD,
^fl A TOKEN OV OBATITUDX DUB VOB THB BXHXriT THXT HAVB OBBITXD
niOM HIB JUDOMBKT, AND ALSO AS A TBSTIMONV OV
TKBIB BBTBBIl FOB HIM A8 A MAN.
THOS. BOOTH, OF KILLERBY.
(From photograph of painting, reproduced by courtesy of Richard
Booth, Ksq., Warlaby, North AlUrton, England.)
CHAPTER IIL
FOUNDATIONS OF THE BOOTH HERDS.
Free use of the Colling blood was made in
every herd of any importance in the Short
horn breeding districts, but of all those who
availed themselves directly of the improve-
ment wrought at Ketton and Barmpton the
names of the elder (Thomas) Booth, Thomas
Bates, Christopher Mason, Earl Spencer and
Jonas Whitaker are among the most conspic-
uous. Indeed, one of the first things learned
by those who take up the study of the Short-
horn is the fact that for upward of half a cen-
tury the main question in the minds of a large
proportion of the breedei^ on both sides the
Atlantic seemed to have been whether to adopt
the Bates or the Booth line of breeding. As a
matter of fact, the cattle bequeathed originally
by the Messrs. Booth and Thomas Bates were
unquestionably of the highest order of merit,
the former representing a type distinguished
especially for substance and flesh and the latter
a class of cattle of the dual-purpose sort, pos-
sessing much refinement of character and un-
doubted quality. In each case the stock repre-
(56)
66 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
sented a remarkable concentration of blood,
possessed a singular uniformity in general
characteristics and displayed remarkable pre-
potency when crossed upon cattle of mixed or
miscellaneous breeding. In the "craze" that
set in for stock of one or the other of these
two great rival types both naturally suffered
from the very popularity that gave them prom-
inence. Speculators, as distinguished from
constructive breeders, appeared upon the scene
and a traflSc in " fashionable pedigrees " sprang
up which finally ended in disaster both to the
breed and to those who recklessly persisted in
their mad career of in-and-in or "line" breed-
ing, with its inevitable dangers intensified by
the retention for breeding purposes of all ani-
mals, good, bad and indifferent, that could trace
descent direct from Bates or Booth sources.
Particularly was this true of the Bates Short-
horns. The story of the rise and extension of
the Booth and Bates power forms one of the
most important parts of the Short-horn history
of the nineteenth century; and a knowledge
of the main facts connected therewith is as
essential as it may be useful to those who are
now engaged in the breeding of Short-horn
cattle. We therefore next take up the narra-
tive of the origin of these two dominant vari-
eties, with incidental references to the work of
other early breed-builders.
F0UVDATIOV8 OF THE BOOTH HERDS. 57
The elder Booth.— Thos. Booth, the founder
of the group of tribes that still bear his name,
was the owner of the beautiful Yorkshire estate
of Killerby in the fertile valley of the Swale
and of Warlaby in the vale of the Wiske. He
began his work with Short-horns at Killerby
prior to the year 1790. In common with the
CoUings and nearly all of his other contempo-
raries, Mr. Booth endeavored to solve the prob-
lem of how to refine the old Teeswater stock.
He realized the faulte of the prevailing type
and was among the first to concede that
through Hubback (319) and the Bakewell sys-
tem the Ceilings had probably hit upon the
long-sought line of progression. Unlike Mr.
Bates and many other breeders of the time, he
did not deem it essential, however, to go to
Ketton and Barmpton for females to carry on
his experiments. He had an idea that by cross-
ing moderate-sized, strongly-bred Colling bulls
upon large-framed, roomy cows showing great
constitution and an aptitude to fatten he could
improve even upon the work of the CoUings.
To this extent, therefore, he must be credited
with greater originality than some of his broth-
er breeders. Moreover, the outcome revealed
that he possessed quite as much skill as he had
independence of character.
The first of the " improved " or Colling bulls
selected for this purpose were Twin Brother to
58 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLB.
Ben (660) and one of his sons, both bred by
Robert Colling. This brought in a strong in-
fusion of the blood of Hubback, through Punch
(531) and Foljambe (263), in addition to which
the grandam of Twin Brother to Ben went to
Hubback direct.
The Fairholme experiment. — Among Mr.
Booth's earlier selections were five heifer calves
from a set of cows owned by a Mr. Broader of
Fairholme, a dairy farmer and tenant of Lord
Hare wood in the parish of Ainderby; one of
which — Fairholme by name — became the an-
cestress of several illustrious families. The
dams of these calves were described as " fine
cattle; good dairy cows and great grazers when
dry; somewhat incompact in frame and steer-
ish in appearance, but of very robust constitu-
tion." Mr. Booth evidently put substance
ahead of points of less practical importance,
and from the very first regarded flesh-making
capacity and breadth of back and loin of more
value than persistent flow of milk. While
there were some cows of marked dairy capacity
in his original herd, they soon acquired a dis-
position to "dry off" quickly and put on great
wealth of flesh, a trait which ever afterward
distinguished the best of the Booth cattle.
The result of the use of the Coiling bulls
upon the Fairholme heifers fulfilled all expect-
ations. From this " nick " descended the Fair-
FOUNDATIONS OF THE BOOTH HERDS. 59
holme or Blossom tribe, the old Booth Red
Rose tribe and the Ariadne or Bright Eyes
tribe, from which group came some of the best
of the Killerby and Warlaby cattle, among
others the noted Twin cow (by Albion), her
son Navigator and a score of great show cat-
tle, including such celebrities as Bloom, Plum
Blossom, Nectarine "Blossom, Venus Victrix,
Baron Warlaby and Windsor.
Some fonndation sires. — The first Colling
bulls were reinforced by the purchase of Su-
worrow (636), also of Barmpton breeding, and
full of the blood of Hubback and Favorito; and
the work of crossing these bulls upon carefully
selected cows of different origin was continued.
At Charles CoUing's sale in 1810 the light roan
bull calf Albion (14) was purchased for sixty
guineas, and it is said that he effected even
greater improvement in the herd than the Ben
bulls or Suworrow. His get were uniformly
round-ribbed and stood near to the ground. He
was intensely bred in the Favorite blood, al-
though carrying also a cross of the so-called
''alloy'' through Washington (674). Another
of the early sires was Pilot (496), of Robert
Colling's breeding, purchased at the Barmpton
sale of 1818 for 270 guineas; also overflowing
with the blood of Favorite (252). Still more of
the same blood was secured through Marshall
Beresford (415), bred by Maj. Bower, a brother-
60 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN OATTLB.
in-law of Mr. Booth's, from Comet (155) and
Charles Ceiling's Daisy.
Great care was taken in mating the animals
to try and breed out defects and establish de-
sired characteristics; and having, by a judicious
course of jselection and the use of strongly-bred
Colling bulls, acquired a good degree of uni-
formity in essential points, the Bakewell idea
of breeding from close aflBnities was success-
fully adopted. Ko sooner had the successful
issue of the cross of the first Colling bulls upon
the Fairholme and other cows become apparent
than Mr. Booth began concentrating the blood
of their progeny. Sir Henry (597) and his son
Lame Bull (359) and Young Albion (15) were
among the earlier sires representing the fruits
of Mr. Booth's first inbreeding.
The Halnaby or Strawberry tribe. — An-
other foundation dam was a yellow-red and
white cow that appealed to Mr. Booth's prac-
ticed eye in the Darlington market about 1797.
She was bought and crossed with Colling blood,
and became the matron of a celebrated family.
The first named cow in the maternal line was
Halnaby, by Lame Bull (359). Bred to Albion
(14) she produced the noted stock-getter Young
Albion (15), the first of the Booth-bred bulls to
be let out on hire,* a practice which afterward
*Yoiiiiff Albion, according to Carr, "went to Mr. ScrooDe'B of Danby
Hall, near Mlddleham, who bad a fine, lar^e, robust herd of cattle, related
through some of the bulls used to the Ctolllng blood. In 1812 the SQuire of
FOUNDATIONS OF THE BOOTH HERDS. 61
became a settled policy in the management of
the Booth herds, and had much to commend it,
for it enabled the owners to avail themselves
of the services of many bulls that developed
into great sires that would otherwise have been
lost to them in the ordinary course of selling.
From the Halnabys also came the bulls Rock-
ingham and Priam, the latter sire of the re-
nowned show " twins'' Necklace and Bracelet.
To this same foundation also trace the Bianca
and Bride Elect sort. The famous cow White
Strawberry, the dam of the excellent stock bull
Leonard (4210), was the ancestress of Monk,
Medora, Red Rose, and her "queenly" quar-
tette of daughters — Queen of the May, Queen
Mab, Queen of the Vale and Queen of the Ocean
—all by Crown Prince. Young Matchem (4422)
descended from White Rose, an own sister to
Young Albion, and the same family gave
Young Rachel, the dam of Mr. Ambler's cele-
brated Grand Turk (12969). Indeed pages
might be filled with the triumphs in show-
yards and breeding herds of animals going
back to the yellow-red cow picked up by
Thomas Booth at Darlington market.
The Bracelets.— This family was derived
from one of the heifers sired by Suworrow.
Danby ehaUenged Mr. Thomas Booth to show, " for rump and dosen " (the
usual stakes at that day beinir rump steaks and a dosen of wine), the best
lot of heifers he had against the same number of hla own, the match to be
decided at Bedale. Although a irood lot the Danby had to give place to the
SUlerby and Warlaby contingent"
62 A HISTORY OF 8H0BT-H0RN OATTLB.
Nothing is known of the cow from which she
was bred, but the Suworrow heifer became the
ancestress of a fine cow, Countess, dropped in
1812 to the cover of Albion, from whence de-
scended Toy^ the dam of Necklace and Brace-
let, those twin tributes to the greatness and
genius of the Booths as cattle-breeders. Prom
the same source also came Col. Towneley's
Pearly and Mr. Torr's Young Bracelet family.
The earlier representatives of these Pair-
holme, Halnaby and Bracelet tribes constituted
Thomas Booth's breeding herd at Killerby up
to the year 1814, by which time he had acquired
a reputation as a skillful improver second to
none. At that early date the modern system
of high-feeding for the show-yards had not yet
come into vogue.* The breeding cows at Kil-
lerby were on pasture the greater portion of
the year, and were wintered mainly on hay.
Heifers were put to breeding at an early age —
generally calving as two-year-olds.
Bichard Booth at Studley. — ^In the year
1814 Richard, son of Thomas Booth, leased the
farm of Studley, some fifteen miles south of
Killerby, near Ripon, and began breeding Short-
horns on his own account. He had been a close
student of his father's methods, and at Studley
carried the Booth stock to even greater perfec-
•Carr Bays that Mr. Crofton was th3 first to introduce iiic idea of "traln-
ing'" Short-homa for Bhow~"houBe-feedliiir cows and heifers in Bummer
months/*
FOUNDATIONS OF THE BOOTH HERDS. 63
tion than it had yet attained at Killerby. He
purchased from his father the cow Bright Eyes,
by Lame Bull, and her two heifers by Albion —
Ariadne and Agnes. Ariadne became at Stud-
ley the dam of the famous Anna by Pilot.*
The Isabellas.— This great Studley tribe was
bred from another one of those Darlington
market cows — ^a roan of untraced breeding, ex-
cept that she was got by "Mr. Burrell's Bull of
Burden." Her color and her quality consti-
tuted her passport into Richard Booth's good
judgment. She is said to have possessed "a
remarkably ample development of fore quar-
ters,'' and Mr. Bruere, who afterward bred a
noted herd of Booth cattle, remarks that as a
schoolboy at Ripon he " well remembered the
brimming pails of milk she gave." Bred to
Agamemnon (9), of the Killerby Bright Eyes
blood, she produced the " White Cow," which,
mated with Pilot, dropped " the matchless Isa-
bella, so long remembered in show-field annals
and to this day quoted as a perfect specimen of
her race."t
* Anna was one of the beat show cows of her day, and in 1824 walked
from Studley to Hancheater Show, **iralniuir flrat prize there, walkintr back,
and DToducinir within a fortnight Tounir Anna." Anna is said to have borne
a close reeemblance to Queen of the Ocean. She also gave birth to Ade-
laide, the highest-priced female sold at the Studley sale in IfiSI. and was the
rrandam of Mr. Storer's Princess Julia. From Anna, through her daughter
Touncr Anna, were descended two of Mr. Torr's families; and from A^rnes,
danyhter of Bright Eyes, came Mr. Fawkea' Verbena and her descendants.
Agamemnon, an own brother of Arladue, was "a bull of extraordinary sub-
stance, good hind quarters, heavy flanks, deep twist and well-covered hips."
tSpeaking of Isabella, Mr. Carr Biya: "Pedestrians croHsing the fields
to the ruins of Fountain Abbey might generally see her and Anna, perhaps
64 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN OATTLB.
It is said that '' Isabella and her descendants
brought the massive yet exquisitely molded
fore quarters into the herd, and also the
straight underline of the belly, for which the
Warlaby animals are so remarkable," and the
same authority, Mr. Carr, adds: ''That such a
cow should have had but three crosses of blood
is striking evidence of the impressive efficacy
of these early bulls, and confirms Mr, R. Booth's
opinion that four crosses of really first-rate
bulls of sterling blood upon a good market cow
of the ordinary Short-horn breed should suffice
for the production of an animal with all the
characteristics of the high-caste Short-horn."
Isabella produced among other celebrities the
Royal prize- winning Isabella Buckingham; and
of all the cows owned by Richard Booth at the
the two XiCBX 00W8 of their day. with a hlootnliv bevy of fair heifera,
attended by Youn«r Albion; and many a trayeler lin^red on hla way to
admire their buxom forms, picturing to himself, perhaps, how the monka
of the old abbey would have gloried in such beeves. Isabella was the Bev.
Henry Berry's beau ideal of a Short-horn. In 1S28, Sir ChorlesJf organ hav-
ing* offered a premium to promote a trial of merit between J^ref ords and
Short-horns, Mr. Berry wrote to the editor of the Farmen' Jdumol reQueet-
ing him to give publicity to the following offer: *I wiU produce as a com-
petitor for Sir Charlea Morgan's premium at Ghristmaa next a Short-homed
cow, then nine years old, expecting to drop her eighth living calf (at sepa-
rate births) in June now next ensuing, against any Hereford in England
seven or nine years old having had calves for years In the same proportion.
I will also, on the same occasion, produce a Short-hom heifer three years
old, having had a living calf, allowing to the Herefords the same ample
scope— all England —for the production of a competitor. It will be obvious
to your readers that in thus pitting two individuals against so numerous a
tribe as the Herefords I must entertain considerable confidence In their
merits, and it will be as easy to draw a correct conclusion should my offer
not be accepted/ The cow and heifer which, by permiSBlon of the owners,
Mr. Borry propoBod brliijrlng into competition with the Herefords were Mr.
Whitaker'8 cow Moas Roh(' and Mr. Booth's heifer Isabella, by Pilot Ths
challenge was not taken up."
FOUNDATIONS OF THE BOOTH HERDS. 65
time of the Studley sale of 1834 she (Isabella)
alone was retained and transferred to Warlaby,
where she produced in her eighteenth year the
heifer Isabella Matchem, that proved a prolific
breeder. The entire family was noted for its
tendency to lay on flesh rapidly on grass.
- ** White Cow," by Agamemnon, produced be-
sides Isabella Lady Sarah and " Own Sister to
Isabella," and was then sold to Mr. Paley. The
"Own Sister" became the dam of Blossom,
whose daughter Medora — sold to Mr. Fawkes —
proved an extraordinary breeder.*
A Marshal Beresford cow, Madame, taken
from Killerby to Studley, became the matron
of a tribe that made up an important propor-
tion of the stock sold at the dispersion of 1834.
They were good milkers and ripened quickly
when not nursing calves. They were largely
descended through a cow called Miss Foote,
that was from Fair Maid, a daughter of Madame.
Probably the two best bulls used at Studley
were Pilot (496), hired from Killerby, and Julius
Caesar (1143), the latter ason of Young Albion (15)
out of one of the Killerby Red Roses by Albion
•A writer In BelTt Memtmoer, probably Mr. WUllAm Houaman, speaklnir
of this cow, said: "A ipentleman who haa been conversant with the herds
of Great Britain for at least a Quarter of a century declares that one of the
most interesting sights he ever saw at an ay rtcultural exhibition was on
the show rronnd at Otley some years affo, when, after the Jndrin^ , the
famona Booth cow Medora, by Ambo, was led around the ring, followed by
her six daughters, all of them, as well as the mother, decorated with prise
favors. The daughters were Gnlnare, Haldee and Znlelka (by Norfolk);
Victoria and Fair Maid of Athens (by Sir Thomas Fairfax), and a heifer
named Myrrha, by Bockinffham (8560)."
66 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN GATTLB.
(14). This was called a very evenly-built bull,
and he proved exceedingly prepotent, a fact
which is not surprising in view of his strong
breeding. He traced six times to Thos. Booth's
Twin Brother to Ben. Pilot proved a great
stock bull in all three of the Booth herds. As
already stated, he was also very closely bred*-
He was let for a time to Mr. Rennie, but his
stock developed such extraordinary merit that
he was recalled and freely used. He was a
small, compact bull, much inclined to put on
flesh.
As already noted, the herd at Studley was
closed out in 1834. This step was greatly re-
gretted in later years by Mr. Richard Booth, but
Mrs. Lawrence, the proprietress ot Studley, re-
quired some of the best pastures for other pur-
poses, and there seemed no other coui-se open
but a sale of the herd. Mr. Booth then retired
to Sharrow, near Ripon, until the following
year, when he succeeded to his father's herd at
Warlaby.
John Booth at Eillerby.— In 1819, upon the
occasion of the marriage of his son John (brother
to Richard), Mr. Thomas Booth gave up Eil-
lerby and a portion of the herd to the former,
and removed to his other farm, Warlaby, near
Northallerton, taking with him to that place
a draft from the Fairholme (or Blossom) and
irOONDATIONS OF THE BOOTH HSRD8. 67
the old Red Rose tribes. The Bracelets were
all left for the son at Killerby.*
The period extending from 1820 down to
about 1835 was not characterized by the same
widespread interest in Short-horn breeding
that had prevailed for twenty-five years pre-
vious, and we are without special particulars
concerning the Killerby and Warlaby stocks
during those years. Fox-hunting seemed of
more importance to a goodly section of the
Yorkshire farmers than the development of
their herds of cattle. Still there were some
who remained steadfastly by the work under
adverse circumstances, and among these the
Messrs. Booth and Mr. Bates were distinguished
for their pertinacity and skill. As what may be
termed the more modern history of the Booths
may be said, therefore, to begin late in the
" thirties," we will leave tne story of the oper-
ations at Killerby and Warlaby at this point to
bring down to a similar date (1835) the work
undertaken by Thomas Bates and some of his
contemporaries.
• "KlUerby is one of the pleaaaDtest of the pleasant homes of England.
It is a BubstADtlal SQuare manor-houae, picturesQuely situated on a gentle
emineooe to the south of the river Swale, and tr^'y miles from Catterlck, the
site of the once important Roman camp and city of Cataractonium. The
house ooeaples the site of the ancient castle of Killerby, once a stronirhold
of rreat magnitude, founded in the ral^n of Edward I, by Sir Brian Fltzalan,
Bar! of ArundeL It is approached by a road winding throuirh verdant pas-
tares thrown together in the form of a park, adorned here and there with
noble elm and walnut trees. The estate consisted of about 500 acres of
arable and pasture land. "^Garr** fltotory-
CHAPTER IV.
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES.
"A wonderful, wonderful man! He might
become anything — even Prime Minister — if he
would not talk so much." Such was Earl Spen-
cer's jocular but nevertheless close-fitting char-
acterization of Thomas Bates. Conspicuous
anjong all those who exercised powerful indi-
vidual influence upon the fortunes of the breed
after the dawn of the nineteenth century; par-
tially contemporary in time with the Collings,
although much younger in years, the unique
and interesting personality of Mr. Bates was
first projected into the field of Short-horn cat-
tle-breeding about the year 1800, From the
date of his death in 1849 for a period of about
a quarter of a century cattle bearing the Bates
blood were one of the great factors in the
Short-horn trade not only of England but of
the United States as well. During that period
so great was the demand for animals descend-
ing from his favorite Duchess tribe that a
range of speculative values unheard of before
or since was for a time established, the climax
(68)
THOS. BATES, OF KIRKLEVINGTON.
(lieprodficed fry courtety of Cadwallader John Jiater, Lanfjley t'aatl':,
Northutiiberland, Kngland.)
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES. 68
being reached at New York Mills, near Utica,
N. Y., in 1873, when the fabulous sum of
$40,600 was bid for a single specimen of that
family.
" Duke " bulls for years held the balance of
power in the American Short-horn breeding
world, fashioning the type of cattle bred in hun-
dreds of herds. On account, therefore, of the
far-reaching influence exerted by them upon the
fortunes of the breed we must devote consider-
able space to the story of Thomas Bates and
how he conceived and carried out his pet plan
for the preservation of what he believed to
be the best of all the early Short-horn blood.
Injudicious in-and-in breeding, the retention
for breeding purposes of all animals dropped
within the charmed circle of the Kirklevington
tribes, regardll3ss of individual character, and
the evil influence of certain reckless spec-
ulators, long since undermined the work of
Thomas Bates; but the main facts connected
with his career and the world-wide popularity
attained after his death by stock derived from
the Kirklevington herd must ever possess a fas-
cination for the student of Short-horn history.
Moreover, they are not without a lesson to pos-
terity.
Early studies in cattle-breeding. — Bom at
Aydon Castle, Northumberland, in 1775, at the
age of twenty-five Bates leased the extensive
70 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN OATTIiB.
&irm and estate of Halton Castle, a few miles
distant from his birthplace. This was in the
Tyneside country, just west of Newcastle.
First adopting West Highland cattle for graz-
ing and fattening purposes he, like many other
intelligent farmers of that day, was deeply im-
pressed by the exhibition of fat Short-horn
stock of the Colling blood. It appears that the
young man had gained a considerable knowl-
edge of the Teeswater cattle before making his
fii-st investments in them. After the fashion
of the time he was in the habit of visiting Dar-
lington on market or "fair" days, and there
met many of the most prominent Short-horn
breeders of the period. These markets were
held on Mondays and provided an admirable
opportunity for study and comparison. One
can readily appreciate the value to a beginner
in breeding of such a school as was provided by
these Yarm and Darlington fairs. Mr. Mason
of Chilton, the Joblings, the Collings, Maynard
of Eryholme, the elder Booth, and many other
experienced men were in the throng of those
who constituted the Short-horn "Senate" at
the King's Head and the Black Bull Inn.
Those market fairs of a hundred years ago,
from whence sprang the Royal and Smithfield
Shows, as well as our American State fairs, fur-
nished the first great stimulus to Short-horn
improvement and were the means of enlisting
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES. 71
the interest of the farmers of all England in
tne breed, a fact which serves to emphasize the
far-reaching impoitance of such events and the
necessity of supporting them heartily at all
times.
Bates was a keen observer at the time he
began frequenting these market-places. The
heterogeneous mixture that had up to this time
constituted the old Teeswater breed was rapidly
being fused into something like a homogeneous
type. The fires about the refining crucible were
burning brightly — especially at Ketton, where
appeal had been made to Bakewell's magic
power. Thomas Bates watched the workmen
at their task; visited among them, and finally
seized upon what be regarded as the best mate-
rial then in the hands of the master-spirits in
the business. He became quite intimate with
Charles Colling, and usually stayed at Ketton,
or with Mason of Chilton, from Saturday night
to Monday, on the occasion of his attending
Darlington market. It was at the great " fair "
held at this place on the firat Monday in March
in 1799 that ''the wonderful Durham Ox" was
exhibited; but while the great Colling steer was
astounding the gaping crowd the thoughts of
the bright young Northumberland farmer were
otherwise engaged. Another beast of Ketton
breeding was claiming his close attention. He
was meditating the selection of foundation
72 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
stock for a breeding herd, and had been espe-
cially attracted by a roan heifer of the Duchess
blood shown upon this occasion by Charles Col-
ling. He doubtless knew by hearsay of the ex-
cellence of the original Stanwick cow of that
name already referred to, and his good opinion
of this particular roan heifer was heightened
by the fact that he "thrice met Mr. Thompson,
a well-known judge of stock from Northum-
berland," by her side during the day.
The Durham Ox was got by Favorite (252)
out of a common black-and-white cow bought
at Durham Fair; but, like his sire, the steer was
roan, a fact of interest, in connection with the
bullock's wonderful character, as foreshadow-
ing the prepotency of sirqs representing a
strong concentration of blood. Among other
remarks heard by Mr. Bates from those who
were discussing the great steer was one to the
effect that the most perfect animals likely to be
bred in the ensuing years would be those sired
by Favorite out of Hubback cows. This thought,
it is said, took deep root in the young man's
mind and governed him largely in his subse-
quent choice of breeding stock.
Original investments. — On May day, 1800,
Bates took possession of the Hal ton Castle Farm.
In March of that year he had bought hi^ first
Short-horn. It does not appear, however, as if
he bad at that time made up his mind fully as
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUGHB8SB8. 73
to which was the best Colling blood; for this
initial purchase was a heifer sired by Ben out
of a cow called Venus, that was an own sister
to the roan two-year-old heifer Mary which
Colling sold to Gen. Simson of Fifeshire, Scot-
land, in 1806 for 300 guineas. Subsequently
Bates changed his mind about the blood of Ben
and expressed great aversion for it. This would
indicate that the heifer for some reason did not
do well at Halton. The great price (for 1800)
of 100 guineas was paid for her, the largest sum
Colling had up to that time received for a cow.
Mr. Bates and his friends claimed that the pay-
ment of this fancy figure was a prime factor in
giving the Ketton stock prestige over the other
herds of that period.
In the fall of 1800 Mr. Bates bought from
Robert Colling some young steers sired by Fa-
vorite (252) for feeding purposes. He hired
Daisy Bull (186) from Charles Colling, and aft-
erward bought him for thirty guineas. In 1803
he hired Styford (629) from Robert Colling.
Both were by Favorite (252). Some West
Highland heifers had meantime been acquired,
as Mr. Bates at that time believed that by cross-
ing them with good Short-horn bulls feeding
stock could be obtained that would be superior
to any but the best types of the Short-horns of
that period. The Colling bulls named were
therefore obtained mainly for crossing pur-
74 A HISTORY OF SHOBT-HORN OATTLK.
poses. Both Daisy Bull and Styford are said to
have revealed clearly the Hubback character in
their hair and handling.
The DuchesB blood.— About this time a very
substantial legacy was received from an aunt,
and this enabled Mr. Bates to go on with his
Short-horn breeding. For 100 guineas he
bought from Charles Colling in 1804 the cow
Duchess, by Daisy Bull (186), then four years
old and in calf to Favorite. A heifer from her
was also bargained for at sixty guineas, but at
Mrs. Colling's request was given up and returned
to Ketton. In this cow Bates claimed to have
secured not only the best cow in England but
the only one then living running direct from
Hubback to Favorite. He was very anxious to
breed her to Mr. Charles Colling's Duke (224),
by Favorite, then going out on hire to a Mr.
Gibson, and although promised the semce was
unable to secure it — a fact which led to bad
blood between Bates and Colling. In 1805
Duchess, by Daisy Bull, produced a bull calf,
Ketton (709), by Favorite (252), which was re-
tained for subsequent service. She dropped
one heifer, Baroness, by St. John (572), but be-
coming a "shy" breeder was reluctantly sold
to Mr. Donkin of Sandhoe, and as she did not
in his possession settle down to bulls of desired
form and quality her other calves (all bulls) did
not carry the blood Mr. Bates sought. She was
DUCHESS, by DAISY BULL (186) ; tred by Chas. Colling.
^^^^^ft& ^^H^ ^^ * ' "^ 'Wat
^^^^^«p ' J*"—-- ^ ^^^^1^1
KETTON 1st (709) ; bred by Chas. Colling.
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES. 75
always a deep, rich milker, making as high as
14 lbs. of butter per week, and when fed off at
seventeen years of age she is said to have made
an excellent carcass of beef.
Bates had made up his mind that this Duch-
ess blood was the most valuable strain in the
entire breed and resolved to persevere in his
efForts at acquiring it.* At the Ketton disper*
sion in 1810 he bought Young Duchess, a grand-
daughter of Duchess by Daisy Bull, sired by
the 1,000-guinea bull Comet (155), at 183 guin-
eas. She was evidently not one of the best
individuals in that memorable sale. Indeed
sde was pronounced "shabby'' by the whole
neighborhood about Halton, Mr. Bates Sr.,
in particular, ridiculing his sou's purchase.
Thomas relied upon her breeding and her qual-
ity, however, and bided his time. Under the
name of Duchess 1st she proved the ancestress
•In a letter written to Mr. Bailey In 1810 Batee said: "A heifer of this
Ductaess breed, belnr tbe first calf rot by old Favorite, weiirheU when little
more than three years old within aix pounds of 100 stone, fourteen pounds
to the stone, and was allowed to be a greater curiosity than the Ketton ox
of tbe same age when shown with him at Darlington in the spring of 1799.
The pedigree of Toung Duchess as I received it from Mr. and Mrs. Colling
is thus: By Comet, dam by Favorite: grandam by Daisy (a son or Favor-
ite); great^randam by Favorite: greatrgreat-grandam by Hubback; great-
great-grsa^tfrandam by Mr. Brown's famous old bull of Aldbrough. And
what adds to the value of this pedigree is that the cow by Mr. Brown's old
bull was as good as any of the tribe since, without her of course being im-
proved by those bulls which have so much benefited the other tribes of
Short-horns. Mrs. Oolllng assured me that this tribe has always been the
best milking tribe. This Duchess tribe is the only instance now remaining
of the produce of Hubback being put to Favorite without some other bull
intervening, which circumstance, added to their being a great milk-and.
butter tribe, gives them a pre-eminence over any other tribe of Short
horns.**
76 A HJ3T0BY OF 8H0RT-H0BN CATTLE.
of the far-famed Duchess family, which ulti-
mately became the highest-priced and most-
widely-sought tribe known in Shorirhom his-
tory. He immediately began asserting with
characteristic assurance the extreme value of
this heifer on account of her descent, and an-
nounced that he would not take £1,000 for his
bargain ! Such was the beginning of the Duch-
ess "boom.''
Student, experimenter and exhibitor. — In
I&IO, at the age of thirty-five years, this ambi-
tious Northumberland tenant farmer became a
student at Edinburgh University— a fact which
should not be without its lesson to those who
at the present day are wrestling with the prob-
lems presented by our modern agriculture. His
course of lectures embraced not only practical
agriculture but mental and moml science. He
took copious notes which have been preserved,
from which it is clear he made good use of his
time. After his return to Halton we find him
busy Avith various farming and feeding opera-
tions and experiments in the handling and stor-
ing of forage crops. It took, in his opinion, a
working capital of five times the amount of
one's rent to farm profitably. At Halton he
employed a capital of £7,500, one-half of which
he had expended under his twenty-one-year
lease in permanent improvements', of which he
only had the benefit during the unexpired term
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES. 77
of the lease. Not satisfied with this sort of a
situation he bought a portion (1,000 acres) of
the manor of Kirklevington, near Yarm, in
Yorkshire, for £30,000, of which £20,000 was
paid in cash. This property, then as now, pre-
sented no very flattering prospect to a good
farmer. The land is a cold clay, fairly good for
grass, but requiring careful management for
tillage.
Mr. Bates always had regard for the milking
trait in his cattle, and conducted extended ex-
periments to determine the relation between
quantity and quality of milk and butter. It is
related that the cow Duchess, by Daisy Bull,
"gave on grass alone without other food in the
summer of 1807 at Halton fourteen quarts of
milk twice a day. Each quart of milk, when
set up and churned separately, yielded one and
one-half ounces of butter or forty-two ounces
a day. The butter was made up for the New-
castle market in ten and one-half-ounce pack-
ages, which were sold at one shilling each. The
skim-milk was bought by the laborers at a penny
a quart, and allowing two shillings for the sub-
traction of the cream this made 14s. 4d. a week.
Altogther, therefore, the cow brought in more
than two guineas a week." He insisted that
many breeders were making a mistake in dis-
regarding the dairy qualities of their cattle,* a
••'On a certain occasion Maeon of Chilton called to breakfast at Halton
Bart>ara OUee, the housekeeper, had Just put the week's butter In readiness
78 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
point which is not without its practical appli-
cation at the present time. He was also an
earnest student of feeding problems, and two
of his steers, "the brindled ox" of 1808 and
"white ox" of 1810, attracted much attention
and attested his skill in that direction. He ex-
perimented carefully upon the relative merits
of the systems of soiling and grazing, and in a
memorable address to the Boards of Agriculture
of the United Kingdom made a strenuous plea
fpr extended experimentation as to the various
breeds of live stock. It thus appears that
Thomas Bates was wide-awake to the necessi-
ties of his time in relation to successful farm-
ing, and in some respects at least a long way in
advance of his contemporaries.
Bates was an exhibitor of cattle at the Tyne-
f or the Newcastle market on the Saturday, and Bates told him that however
ready he was for breakfast he should have none until he had counted the
butter. There were 800 half-pounds to iro to the market, besides what was
used In the house and sold at home. There were then thirty cows which
had calved, and the butter sold for above one shilling the half pound. This
left more than ten shUlings for each cow in butter alone, besides the value
of the milk otherwise sold, while all the calves were reared by the pail
and none allowed to suck. Had all the milk been creamed and made into
butter there would have been twice the number of pats. Mason, thrown
off his guard at this display of dairy produce, confessed to Bates: " Yoa
can go on breeding Short-horns because they pay you in milk, butter and
beef, but we cannot do so unless we sell them at high prices to breeders."
Mason, as Bates plainly told him, was keeping at the time three sets of
cows, one to breed calves and then get dry (which was no hard matter) In
order to attract notice by their high condition, a second as wet nurses to
rear the calves, and a third to supply hla family with milk and butter.
" This," Bates added many years afterwanl, " 1h a system that would ruin
any man if he had the land rent free and no outgoings to pay, yet many con-
tinue to pursue this rcK^kless course in order to gain premiums, attract pub*
lie attention and gratify their vanity at the cost of their pockets."— IVimMr's
Magaaine,
T&0MA6 BATB8 AUD THB DDOHiOSBES. 79
side shows, held sometimes thrice a year, from
their inception in 1804, and was successful at
every show until that of 1812, when he consid-
ered himself shabbily treated by the judges.
So incensed was he at the decisions here that
he never afterward entered the show-yard as a
competitor until the York meeting of 1838.
BidlB first used on the DuchesBes. — As
already mentioned, Duchess- by -Daisy Bull,
claimed as the best Short-horn cow of her time,
dropped to the cover of Favorite (252) a bull
which was named Eetton in honor of his Col-
ling derivation. This was the first bull of the
Duchess blood owned and used by Mr. Bates,
and in spite of his ** close" breeding was a
beast of strong constitution and possessed of
the refinement and character so earnestly
sought.* He was undoubtedly a good bull, al-
though his portrait — drawn in 1814 — ^would in-
dicate some prominence of hip and lightness of
flank. He was red-and-white and remained
• More than sixty years afterward Mr. William Charlton* who had lived
near Bates and ultimately settled at Sutton in Essex, wrote: "I think I can
see the crand old animal standing in the hull i>ark with his fine head and
placid countenance, hia beautifully-arched neck, his deep and roomy chest,
his short and widespread legs, his handsome shoulders and full crops, his
lonr. straight and level hack, his heavy flank and deep ribs, his well-
formed, beautiful quarters and heavy thiirhs, and his tail so nicely set as to
rive symmetry to his whole frame. How oft on my youthful mind was
impressed the idea that I should never see his like aflrain I His image was
so imprinted upon my memory that whenever I be^an to examine a prise
bull Ketton came full in view, and then many defects were soon prominent.
Still, althonffh Mr. Bates used Ketton for so many years, a Duchess heifer
or bullock could easily be picked out of his herd. There was something in
their very countenance and in their prominent gait, and, above all, in their
superior touch like none else. In that last quality they had no equals."
80 A HISTORY OF 8H0ET-H0EN CATTLE.
seven years in service. This is the bull of which
"Tommy" Thompson, the cowman, said, "he
never got a middling calf" — all were regarded
as above the average.
From 1816 to 1820 the bulls Ketton 2d (710)
and Ketton 3d (349) (the former a son and the
latter a grandson of Ketton 1st) were used, but
their get were not equal to the progeny of the
son of the old Duchess cow. Ketton 2d was
out of an unnamed cow by a grandson of Fa-
vorite; second dam by J. Brown's Red Bull, but
Ketton 3d was a Duchess, sired by Ketton 2d
out of Duchess 8d by Ketton 1st; second dam
Duchess 1st by Comet. The earnestness with
which Mr. Bates adopted the Bakewell scheme
of in-and-in breeding is here apparent. He nev-
ertheless tried the experiment of breeding to
Marske (418), then thirteen years old, a roan of
Colling blood that Maynard had bought at the
Barmpton sale. This brought in a dash of good
fresh blood. Although Marske was a son of
Favorite (252) his dam was Robert Colling's
noted cow Old Bright Eyes, that gave fifteen
quarts of milk twice per day. Bates had owned
a sister to Marske for some years, and regarded
the family as one of the best of the day — al-
ways of course excepting his favorite Duch-
esses. The Marske cows, however, did not
fully meet his expectations, and he sent Duch-
ess 3d, by Ketton 1st, to Donkin's to be bred to
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES. 81
Duke(226), the Duchess bull by Favorite. This
was getting back direct to the highly-prized
blood, and Bates spoke to Lord Althorpe of this
mating as "the only hope of the Short-horns/**
WTien we recall the fact that the fruits of a
long period of careful breeding were at that
time in the hands of contemporary breeders we
have in this remark a characteristic illustration
of the arrogant position Mr. Bates was wont
to assume in reference to his own cattle.
So persistently did he assert their superiority
that his claims,' together with the admitted
merit of his stock, at length began to make
an impression.! Lord Althorpe became one of
his patrons, hiring the young Duchess bull His
Grace (311) for service at Wiseton. Mr. Whit-
* " I will give you fifty rnlneas for the chance, calf or no calf," said Lord
Althorpe. ** I would not take aoo guineas for the chance," was Bates* reply.
In responae to Lord Althorpe*s Invitation Bates stayed at Wiseton for the
Donoaater meetinir of 1S20. As the party were leaving the dining-room after
deeaert Lord Althorpe, turutnir to one of his friends, said of Bates : " Won-
dfofulmanl Wonderful man I He might become anythlniT» even Prime Min-
ister, If he woald not talk so much."
t Jamea Fawoett of Scaleby Castle gave this description of the Duchesses
about this date: **The character of the Duchesses at this time was that of
good and handsome wide-spread cows, with broad backs, projecting loins
and ribs, short legs and prominent bosoms. The head was generally' In-
clined rather to be short and wide than long and narrow, with full clew
ejem and muzsle, the ears rather longr and hairy, the horns of considerable
length but of froe, waxy quality. They were good milkers, and had for the
moat part a robust, healthy appearance. Their color was almost uniformly
red, with, In many of them, a tendency to white about the flank. They had
also generally what Mr. Bates called the Duchess spot of white above the
nostrlL A strange anomaly occurred in the case of Duchess 6th. I recol-
lect her being calved. She was very handsome and of the most orthodox
color, bat with a round spot of several inches on the flank, of the deepest
black. Whether this Indicated a harking back to some ancestral Highland
alloy or a freak of the cow's imagination is a curiou» question."
82 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN OATTLB.
aker had hired Ketton 3d and sabsequently ex-
changed him to Lord Althorpe for His Grace.
From Halton to Ridley Hall.— Although the
Kirklevington property had been bought in
1811, the lease of Halton did not expire until
1821, and Mr. Bates continued in possession
there until that date. Either because he was
loath to leave Northumberland, or because his
Kirklevington land had not yet been brought
into the desired state of fertility, he purchased
Ridley Hall on the South Tyne, to which he
removed from Halton in May, 1821. In a let-
ter written to Jonas Whitaker in 1822 Bates
said:
**I have now two bulls (The Earl and Duke 2d) by Duke oat of
Duchess 8d, the dam of Ketton 8d, and a heifer by Marske (Duch-
ess 7th) out of the same cow and bulled by The Elarl, and for the
three I would not take 8,000 guineas, bad as times are for farmers.
Old Ketton *s stock were the up-making of me, and now that I
have again got the blood pure of other mixtures I shall never again
part with it for any other tribe of Short-horns I have oyer seen."
The "hope of the Short-horns" proved to be
a bull which was named The Earl (646) and
used extensively for four or five years at Ridley
Hall. He was succeeded by his son 2d Hub-
back (1423). This bull was bred from a cow
called Acklam Red Rose (or Red Rose 1st), of
Colling derivation, that Bates had bought from
a Mr. Hustler, and he grew into what is said to
have been the best of all the earlier bulls used
in the herd. His dam (from whom the Cam-
bridge Roses and the American Rose of Shar-
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES. 83
ons descended) possessed old Hubback's hand-
ling quality. He was a light-red bull said to
have been remarkably perfect in his point»
and evenly and smoothly fleshed. His stock
were uniform in shape, color, hair and handling,
"as well as in countenance." His heifers all
proved good milkers. We have in his case
another illustrs.tion of the fact that strongly-
bred sires very often get their best stock from
cows not bred "in line." Certain it is that The
Earl's best calf was 2d Hubback from a Red
Rose dam; none of the bull calves from the
Duchesses equaling him.'^
It is said that while at Ridley Hall Bates took
no steps to bring his herd before the public.
He rarely let any bulls and kept no bull calves
except those he thought he might require for
himself or which his friends desired for their
own herds. He used the knife freely and fed
oft his steers, as well as such cows and heifers
as did not settle down to breeding at an early
age. Many a good female was undoubtedly
thus sacrificed. He never had calves born dur-
ing the three summer months. He very seldom
sent any fat cattle to the market. The princi-
•M HnblMck'B measnrementa at elffht years old hare Xyeen handed down
■a follows: Girth at crops, 8 feet; girth, at ribs, 9 feetS Inches; girth hooka
OTcr thick of flank, 8 ftet 4 Inches; breadth of hooks, 9 feet « Inches plumb:
length from breast plumb to tail, 8 feet: length of rumps. 2 feet; length
from breast to crops, 8 feet; length from crops to hooks, 8 feet; girth of
fore leg below the knee, 8 inches; girth of horn at root nesct the head, 8
84 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOEN CATTLE.
pal butchers in Newcastle and Shields came to
buy his stock at home.
Removal to Kirklevington.— May 1, 1830,
Mr. Bates transferred his residence and breed-
ing operations from Ridley Hall — which he had
sold — ^to Kirklevington; included in the herd,
which was driven across country, being "fifty
cows and heifers by 2d Hubback, all as alike as
beans and leaving a great impression wherever
they passed." 2d Hubback was let the following
year to Whitaker, and, disappointed in the de-
velopment of a yearling bull from Duchess 22d
that he had intended to use, Bates bought from
Whitaker for 100 guineas the bull Gambier
(2046) by Bertram (1716), a bull of Ceiling's Old
Daisy tribe that had just been sold to Col.
Powell for shipment to America. Gambler's
dam was of the Western Comet or Gentle
Kitty blood. Gambier did not satisfy Bates as
a stock-getter, and hearing of Mr. Stephenson's
roan bull of the old Princess blood he went to
see him.
Belvedere (1706) of the Princess blood.— In
the accepted accounts of the purchase of this
bull we have a striking example of Mr. Bates'
supreme self-confidence. He believed in the
Hubback and Duchess blood above everything
else. He claimed he had founded his herd
upon the best cow of the breed in her day.
He had been successful with Ketton 1st and The
w
o
H
5
O
o
Ml
THOMAS BATB8 AKD THE DUOHSBSES. 85
Earl, both Dachess bulls, and with 2d Hubback,
son of a Duchess bull, but had little luck with
sires tried from other sources. The tribe was
now very closely bred and he seemed at a loss
to know how to proceed. He had up to 1831
bred but thirty-two Duchess cows in as many
years. In brief the tribe had not been prolific,
and whenever cows passed over a year or two
he fed them off. He would not admit that
other contemporary bloods were worthy of
being crossed upon his Duchesses. He had
spoken his mind freely concerning the breed-
ing of nearly all the other herds of the district
and had awakened many antagonisms. He
would not use anything that carried the so-
called "alloy" blood. In short he was seri-
ously hampered in his search for sires by rea-
son of the &>ct that be had '' blacklisted" nearly
all the available material. At the same time
he now required fresh blood.
He had long held in respect the old Robert
Colling Princess strain. The original cow of
that name carried a double cross of Favorite
on top of Hubback. This was a combination
which in his radical opinion constituted a
prime source of Short-horn excellence. He
was not aware that any bull descending direct
from this base without admixture of (to him)
objectionable blood was at that late date ob-
tainable. By chance, however, he learned that
86 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
John Stephenson of Wol vision had a Foan bull
SO descended, and he lost no time in looking
him up. His purchase of Duchess 1st at the
Ketton sale on account of her breeding rather
than her individual merit illustrated his unfal-
tering faith in the doctrine that "blood will
tell." With this case in mind it is reasonably
certain, in view of the trouble he was now in
with his Duchesses, that Bates went over to
Wolviston prepared to buy this precious Prin-
cess bull — "the last of a long race of well-de-
scended Short-horns" — fairly regardless of the
appearance of the animal himself. At any rate
we are told that on passing by the bull-barn
the head of Belvedere (1706) — for such was his
name and herd-book number — was visible, and
that the moment Bates caught sight of it he
expressed a positive determination to secure
the bull. Not every man will buy a breeding
bull solely for the blood that flows in his veins.
Still less would the average man be likely to
settle so important a matter by a mere glimpse
of a bull's countenance. Bates had his own
peculiar ideas about breeding, however. He
was not governed by the ordinary ruJes observed
by his contemporaries, and his swift decision
to buy at any price this roan bull at Wolviston
— evidently made as soon as Stephenson had
told him how Belvedere was bred, and before
he had seen the bull at all — may be cited as
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES. 87
one of the instances where he manifested real
genius as a cattle-breeder. Belvedere's sire,
Waterloo (2816), and dam, Angelina 2d, were
own brother and sister; the pedigree therefore
represented an extraordinary concentration of
the blood of old Princess* and Favorite (252).
There was really something of a bull went
with that head and pedigree. Belvedere was
six years old at the time Bates bought him.
Stephenson was allowed to name his own price
and was modest enough to place it at £50. This
occurred June 22, 1831. The next day the bull
was driven to Kirklevington. No sooner had
Bates got him than he announced that he would
by the union of the Princess and Duchess blood
produce " Short-horns such as the world has never
seen," and in the opinion of some capable judges
he very nearly made good his boast. The bull
with which he boldly proclaimed he would make
the "hit" of his life as a breeder was a big one,
possessing extreme length and heavy shoulders,
* The Prlnoeas cow had been bought orl^nally from Bobert CoUinr bj
Sir Heniy Vane Tempest at the reputed flrreat price of 700 tineas. Sir
Henry's widow, the Counteaa of Antrim, had the cow boug>ht at the Wyn-
yard sale In 1813, and sent her to Barmpton to be bred to the bull WelUxvton
(880), a son of Comet (156). (Tolling told her a^ent that he " never allowed
any gontleman's cows " to be eeryed by his bull, and so could not comply
with Lady Antrim's request The a^nt of the Countees started to return
to Wynyard, when ColUn^'s servant came runnlnir after him to say that he
had told his master that Princess was not a g-eiltleman's cow but a lady's,
and that Colllnir was so amused at the ely intercession that he at once
waived his rule upon the point of givixig his bull's services to other breed-
ers and would permit Princess to be bred. The thrifty Yorkfihlre man,
however, did not permit his ^llantiy to prevent his char^lnr her ladyship
ten irood guineas for the service. The produce of this coupliof was the
buU Youag Wynyard, sire of Waterloo (2816).
88 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN OATTLB.
but was a yellow-roan, evidently full of quality;
^'soft as a mole to the touch." He had the
"hot-blood temper*' of his sire Waterloo, and
it took three men to get him safely started off
down Sandy Lane the morning he left Ste-
phenson's to begin the work of regenerating
the Duchesses.
The breeding of bulls to their own dams or
daughters was a common occurrence at Kirk-
levington prior to the time of Belvedere. None
but inbred Duchess bulls had been used upon
cows of this favorite family except Marske
(418), of the Bright Eyes blood, and 2d Hub-
back, by the Duchess bull The Earl (646) out
of Hustler's Red Rose. The cross of Belvedere
upon the Duchess and other tribes which Mr.
Bates had meantime acquired proved the sound-
ness of his judgment. The Princess bull wsa
used extensively until twelve years old and
then slaughtered. This was in 1837. He did
much for the herd, siring, ambng other noted
animals, the famous Duchess 34th, which, bred
back to her own sire, gave Mr. Bates his great-
est bull— Duke of Northumberland (1940). The
Duke was but two years old at the time Belve-
dere was sent off, so that an elder son of Bel-
vedere—Short Tail (2621), from Duchess 29th
(and said to have been a better bull than hie
sire) — was placed in service. His dam. Duchess
29th, was got by 2d Hubback out of one of
THOMAS BATE^ AND THE DUCHESSES. 89
that bull's own daughters. Duchess 19th, so
that the practice of breeding from close affini-
ties went steadily on.
The cross of Whitaker'8 Norfolk.— In 1834
Felix Renick and his colleagues, representing
the Ohio Importing Co., visited England to buy
Short-horns. Bates showed them every atten-
tion and offered them some of his best cows
and heifers, including Duchess 34th. He seems
to have indulged his loquacity to its fullest
extent upon his American visitors, tendering
advice freely as to the other English herds of
that period. Among other characteristic "point-
ers" given was one to the effect that Belve-
dere's sire, Waterloo (2816), then in his six-
teenth year, and Norfolk (2377) were "the only
two bulls besides Belvedere that were in the
least likely to get good stock." What the
Americans bought on this memorable visit will
be dealt with in a subsequent chapter.
Norfolk (2377), a handsome roan bull, was
then but two years old. He had been bred by
Mr. Whitaker and sold to Mr. F. H. Fawkes of
Farnley Hall. His sire was Mr. Bates' 2d Hub-
back, and his dam Nonpareil by Magnet (2240),
running down through the Colling blood to a
Hubback cow at the base. That Bates was sin-
cere in his advice to. the Americans cannot
be doubted, for shortly afterward he sent five
of his own best cows to be bulled by Norfolk.
90 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
But three of these stood to the service — to-wit.:
Duchess 33d, Waterloo and Blanche — which
circumstance was regarded by Mr. Bates at the
time as fortunate, the immediate result not
proving satisfactory. This paralleled the sub-
sequent experience of John Booth in breeding
Bracelet to Mussulman ; but, as in the case of
Booth's Buckingham, when the percentage of
fresh blood was reduced so that it was quite
subordinated to the main current, its stimulat-
ing effect became apparent. The heifer Duchess
38th, dropped by Duchess 33d to Norfolk, gave
rise to the entire Thorndale, Geneva and Oneida
Duchess groups; and the Norfolk- Waterloo
heifer founded a family that has occupied a
prominent place in the progress of the breed.
Norfolk was individually one of the great bulls
of his time, and as he was a son of 2d Hubback
his character supplied striking proof of the
value of Bates bulls for service in other herds.
He kad substance, flesh and a heavy coat of
hair, showing greater thickness and compact-
ness of conformation than Belvedere.
The Matchem Cow and the Oxfords.— In
April, 1831, Mr. Bates had attended a sale of
'improved" Short-horn cattle, held by a Mr.
John Brown of Nunstainton, near Chilton, in
the County of Durham, and bought seventeen
cows and heifers at an average of £9 5s. Among
these was a white four-year-old by Matchem
Mr. Bates' CLEVELAND LAD (3407) at Five
Years Old.
Whitaker's NORFOLK (2877), at Five Years Old.
THOMAS BATES AND THB DUCHESSES. 91
(2281), for which he paid £15 lOs. Bates called
her Matchem Cow. Her sire was the same
Mason-bred bull whose blood had been previ-
ously introduced into the Booth herd at Kil-
lerby. Her dam was by the Princess bull Young
Wynyard (2859). Her breeding back of this
has not been traced, but she must have shown
conclusive evidence of pure Short-horn de-
scent; for, as has been well said of Mr. Bates,
"he trusted very much to the evidence of his
eye, which, considering the subsequent excel-
lence of his stock and the great impulse of de-
cided improvement they have given to all cattle
with which they have come to be paired, must
have had within it the light of decided genius."
At nine years of age Matchem Cow produced at
Kirklevington a bull by Short Tail (2621), and
in 1838 another by the Same sire. These two
roan bulls, recorded as Cleveland Lad (3407)
and Cleveland Lad 2d (3408), were used in the
herd and constituted the Oxford outcross upon
the Duchesses. Bates had always denounced
the Mason blood, with which the Matchem Cow
was doubtless well filled, but the progeny of the
cow by his own bulls satisfied him nevertheless,
and the Cleveland Lads were not only used as
stock bulls, but her daughters, Oxford Premium
Cow and Oxford 2d, were retained and became
the ancestresses of the tribe since known as the
92 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
Oxfords. The line of the former has now been
extinct for many years.
A show-yard disappointment.— Mr. Bates
sent seven head of cattle to the newly-estab-
lished Yorkshire Show in 1838, headed by the
two-year-old double-Belvedere Duchess bull
Duke of Northumberland (1940), and including
a pair of two-year-old Duchess heifers, Duch-
esses 41st and 42d, both by Belvedere; a year-
ling Duchess heifer, Duchess 43d, also with a
double dip of Belvedere; the roan four-year-old
cow Red Rose 13th, by Belvedere; the white
three-year-old cow Short-horns 4th, by Belve-
dere, and a three-year-old from the Matchem
Cow, got by Duke of Cleveland (1937), a bull
that had been dropped by Duchess 26th to a
service by Mr. Whitaker's Bertram (1 716). The
Duke of Northumberland received first in his
class against eight competitors, but was passed
over entirely in the bull championship contest;
first prize in a ring of fifteen entries going
to Earl Spencer's Hecatomb (2102), of Mason
blood, and second to Mr. Wiley's Carcase (3285),
afterward imported to America. This was a
hard blow, and it was contended by Mr. Bates
that Mr. John Grey, the judge, was improperly
influenced by being beholden to Earl Spencer
for substantial business favors. With his fe*
males, however, Mr. Bates was more successful.
In the aged-cow class (entries to be in calf or
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES. 93
in milk) Red Rose 13th was passed over, the
ribbon going to John Colling's Rosanne. In
the three-year-old ring (also in calf or in milk)
Short-horns 4th — a fine dairy cow — was first
and the Matchem heifer second in a class of
six. In a class of ten two-year-old heifers
Duchess 41st won, and in yearling heifers
(eight) Duchess 42d was second. These ratings
did not satisfy Mr. Bates. He felt that his
three best animals, "The Duke," Red Rose 13th
and Duchess 43d, had been rejected unfairly.
He therefore determined to show at
Th^ Oxford Eoyal of 1839.— Wlien the time
came Red Rose 13th was not in a fit condition
to travel, so Duke of Northumberland and
Duchess 43d were started along with Duchess
42d and the Matchem heifer. They were
shipped by steamer from Middlesbrough to
London.*
This was the first meeting of the English
National Show. The exhibition was held upon
the farm of Mr. John Pinfold, and the entries
were not numerous. The Kirklevington cattle
were the center of attraction in the Short-horn
class, and Mr. Bates had the pleasure of seeing
• " Bates went with them In the same steamship from Mlddlesbrougrh to
London and himself saw to their treatment. In landlnsr at London Duke of
Horthumberland slipped^ and lay across the n^an^way. Bates patted him
on the head, calUmjr him *poor boy, poor boy. and the hiure animal re-
mained perfectly passive until he was roscued. Fortunately The Duke re-
ceived no injury. The four Short-horns proceeded from London in a
frelffht boat by the Aylesbury branch of the Grand Junction Canal, '—('iul-
waUaderBala.
94 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
Duke of Northumberland head a list of seven
bulls; the Matchem Cow's daughter a class of
four; Duchess 42d a class of three two-year-
olds, and Duchess 43d a class of nine yearlings.
That these were a beautiful lot of Short-homs
is amply attested. Mr. George Drewry, the late
veteran herd manager of the DuTce of Devon-
shire at Holker Hall, writing after, a lapse of
fifty y§ars, said: "The two things that I re-
member best at Oxford were the Duke of North-
umberland and Duchess 43d. These I still
think were the best two Short-horns I ever
saw.^' In honor of the young Matchem Cow's
victory upon this occasion she was dubbed the
"Oxford Premium Cow" — hence the tribal name.
At a dinner given in the quadrangle of Queen's
College during this show Daniel Webster, who
was a visitor at the exhibition, said, in a speech
which held closely the attention of the audi-
ence:
*' In the country to which I belong societies like this exist on a
small scale in many parts, and they have been found to be very
highly beneficial and advantageous. They g^ive rewards for speci-
mens of fine animals and the improvement of implements of hus-
bandry which may tend to facilitate the art of agriculture, and
which were not before known. They turn their attention to every-
thing which tends to improve the state of the farmer, and, I may
add, among other means of advancing his condition, that they have
imported largely to America from the best breeds of animals in
England, and from the gentleman who has been so fortunate as to
take so many prizes to-day. From his stock, on the banks of the
Ohio and its tributary streams, I have seen fine animals raised
which have been supplied from his farms in Yorkshire and North-
umberland."
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES. 95
Prizes at Cambridge.— Having, as he thought,
vindicated the honor of his Duchesses at Ox-
ford, Mr. Bates decided not to risk fitting and
showing any of them the following year. Still
smarting under the defeat of Red Rose 13th at
York, he sent her to the Royal at Cambridge,
along with Cleveland Lad (3407) and a young
Waterloo bull calf by Duke of Northumber-
land. Red Rose here had her revenge, winning
first in a class of six cows. Her name was then
changed to Cambridge Premium Cow. The
Waterloo calf also won, but Cleveland Lad was
turned down, the prize falling to Hero (4021), a
roan owned in Norfolk; a bull which Cadwal-
lader Bates asserts was "never heard of before
nor since."* His picture may be found in
Coates' Herd Book, Vol. IV. Cleveland Lad
had not been specially fitted for show; and fat,
then as now, was a prime necessity. The prizes
won by the Kirklevington cattle at the two
great university cities led to many inquiries
for the blood.
A "brush" with the Booths.— In 1841 Cleve-
land Lad was sent to the Liverpool Royal alone,
he being the only member of the show herds
left without "vindication"; and he was there
placed by the judges at the head of the bulls
* It Is related that "a gentleman came up to Bates in the show-yard and
■aid: 'Had I been blindfolded I could have told all of your cattle by the
feel of my fingers.* 'As the stewards of the yard hear your remarks, I
hope in the future the judges will be blindfolded/ was Bates* reply."
96 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
on exhibition. That .same season Mr. Bates
sent Oxford Premium Cow to the Highland at
Berwick, but she was beaten by John Booth's
Necklace on the ground that the Bates cow
was *' deficient in girth and gaudy behind."
He also showed at the Yorkshire of 1841,
receiving the bull championship on Cleveland
Lad. Duke of Cambridge — the Waterloo calf
shown in 1S40— here won first as a yearling
over a young bull from Killerby and others.
The honors of the three-year-old cow class
were divided between Duchesses 42d and 43d.
It is stated that the jovial John Booth ban-
tered his esteemed contemporary the belligerent
Bates upon this occasion al)out his backward-
ness about exhibiting longer at leading shows,
and inferentially challenged him to show a cow
at the next year s Royal. These two men were
clearly at the head of their profession at the
time, but despite their rivalries were good
friends. The meeting took place at York in
1842, and to the infinite satisfaction of the
great champion of the Duchesses a cow of that
line in her tenth year had the extraordinary
honor of beating Killerby's great Necklace.
The story of this memorable contest is told by
Mr. Bates' people in the following language:
"There was in milk at Kirklevington a ten-year-old unregcn-
erate dairy cow, which had never been shown nor had ever been
intended to be. When about twelve months old she had broken
her leg, and as Bates would not employ a veterinary Thomas Bell
0
>
H
(/3
13
O
X
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES. 97
Bet it with the help of the journeyman miller. For some years she
had scarcely ever tasted a turnip in the winter months. Since
May Day she had been going in the ordinary cow pasture, and
was as ignorant as any Northern farmer of what a hpnne bouehe
meant. Without any preparatory training at all old Brokenleg
(Duchess 84th) walked by road about forty miles to York, in the
company of her son, Duke of Northumberland (1940) . The judges
ordered the fifteen cows entered to parade twice round the ring,
and then told old 'Tommy Myers,' the Kirkleyington cowman, to
stand on ane side with Brokenleg. A murmur of indignation
broke from the people pieiant, who imagined she was being ex-
cluded from the prize Ust.
** Myers remained for half an hour or so thinking, as he said,
*they were gannin* to use me very badly,' while the judges kept
disputing over Necklace and one of Mr. Mason Hopper's oows.
*They could not rightly judge of stars in the presence of the sun.'
Myers, who had supposed they were determining which was to be
first and which second, was greatly relieved when they sent
Brokenleg *the white rose' and placed Necklace behind her.
When the crowning trophy was placed on Duchess 84th's head
there was a burst of applause. She was as like the first Duchess
as two animals could be, in color and in that grandeur of style and
appearance, such as no animal ever had except a Duchess.
'* Bates had good reason to be satisfied with the resuls of the
tug-of-war when KiUerby met Kirkleyington. It was the only
challenge he ever accepted. That the decision was perfectly just
was confirmed by Mr. Eastwood, a breeder who had as much ad-
miration for one line of stock as for the other, so long as the ani-
mal was a good one, but who thought that a little weight should
be allowed to fiishion. Mr. John Booth asked him why it was that
Brokenleg beat Necklace. * Well,' he replied, * I think, Mr. Booth,
you are fairly beaten; if I had been one of the judges I should
have done the same. ' ' Then, ' said Booth , * I am satisfied. ' Bates
came up shortly afterward and asked Eastwood the same ques-
tion. 'I think you won fairly, Mr. Bates.' * I am pleased to hear
you say that.' * I told Mr. Booth so.' < Then,' said Bates, * I am
more pleased still,' and the great rival breeders remained the best
of friends."
This was indeed one of the most remarkable
old-time show-yard events of which any record
has been handed down from the last genera-
98 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
tion, and proves the genuine merit of the Bat.es
cattle of the early days. This cow, Duchess
34th, was the dam of
Duke of Northumberland (1940).— The pro-
duction of this famous bull has always been
considered the crowning triumph of Thomas
Bates' career as a cattle-breeder. He was
the acknowledged champion bull of Eng-
land in 1842. Bates, writing of him in 1839,
had said: *'I can state from measurements I
took of the celebrated Comet (155) that The
Duke was nearly double his weight both at ten
months and at two years old," adding, in allu-
sion to his well-known affection for the Duch-
ess family: '.*I selected this tribe of Short-
horns as superior to all other cattle, not only
as small consumers of food but as great grow-
ers and quick grazers, with the finest quality of
beef, and also giving a great quantity of very
rich milk.'' The live weight of The Duke at
three years and eight months was 2,520 lbs.
Mr. Bates has left the following statement
concerning him and his family, which will be
of interest in this connection. It was ad-
dressed to a publishing house about to produce
portraits of "The Duke" and his dam:
** I named this bull Duko of Northumberland to perpetuate the
commemoration that it is to the judgment and attention of the an-
cestors of the present Duke of Northumberland that this country
aiul the world are indebted for a tribe of cattle which Mr. Charles
CoUing repeatedly assured mo was the best he ever had or ever
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES. 99
saw. As a proof that they have improved under my care 1 may
mention that the Duke of Northumberland's dam consumes one-
third less food than my first Duchess, purchased in 1804, and that
her milk yields one-third more butter for each quart of milk,
while there is also a greater growth of carcass and an Increased
aptitude to fatten.
** It is now above sixty years since I became impressed with
the importance of selecting the very best animals to breed from. .
For twenty-five years afterward I lost no opportunity of ascer-
taining the merits of the various tribes of Short-horns. It was
only then that this could be done. Thero is scarce a vestige now
remaining of the many excellent cattle then in existence. Since
I became possessed of the tribe I have never used any bulls that
had not Duchess blood— except Belvedere (1706), and ho was the
last bull of a long race of well-descended Short-horns— without
perceiving inunediately the error.
*' As the post hour draws near I must conclude in order to en-
able you to print this letter in the same paper with the portraits
of *The Duke' and his dam. I do not expect any artist can do
them justice. They must be seen, and the more they are exam-
ined the more their excellence will appear to a true connoisseur,
but there are few good judges— a hundred men may be found to make a
Prim/t Minister to one fit to judge of the real me tits of Short-horns.^^
Importance of tabulated pedigrees. — If Mr.
Bates had submitted for i^ublication along with
this eulogy of the Duchess family the subjoined
tabulation of the Duke of Northumberland's
pedigree the propriety of substituting an ac-
count of the merits of the Princess for that of
the Duchess line might have been suggested.
Blot out the Princess blood and the dashes of
Red Rose and Marske from this pedigree and
there remains but a "thin red line" to preach a
Duchess sermon from. ** The best bull of his
time," the best bull the keen-witted laird of Kirk-
levington ever bred, the bull for which almost
any sum could have been had, was indeed a credit
100
A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLR.
to the skill and judgment of Thomas Bates,
but he carried only 25 per cent of Duchess
DUKK or NORTBnMBKRLAND (1910)
3
I
2.
a
SB
»1
-I
blood. Moreover his dam, the prize cow Duch-
ess 34th — 50 per cent Princess blood — was a
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES. '101
better beast than either Duchess 29th or 20th.
It is apparent, therefore, that Princess on Duch-
ess resulted, as Bates had predicted, in produc-
ing Short-horns superior even to the original
Duchesses.
We need but print the same Duke of North-
umberland pedigree in the regulation Short-
horn Herd Book and Short-horn catalogue
style to show how a miscarriage of justice
in estimating family credits has been bred and
fostered by a pernicious system of pedigree
registration; a system that so palpably exag-
gerates the relative importance of a certain
portion of the maternal ancestry that it seems
strange that it should still be tolerated.
DuKs or NoBTHUMBBBLANB, roan, calved Oct. 1$, 1886; bred by
T. Bates; got by Belvedere (1706) , dam Duchess 84th by Belvedere
(1706); second dam Duchess 29th by 2d Hubback; third dam
Duchess 20th by The Earl (1511) ; fourth dam Duchess 8th by
Marske (418) ; fifth dam Duchess 2d by Ketton Ist (709) ; sixth dam
Duchess 1st by Comet (156) ; seventh dam Duchess by Daisy Bull
(186) ; eighth dam by Favorite (252), eta
Clearly one would say this is a Duchess bull
He was not, however, so far as blood elements
are concerned, entitled to such appellation at
all, as we have already shown. Just how much
the Stan wick Cow, or *'my first Duchess," or
the "ancestors of the present Duke of Nor-
thumberland" had to do with the merit of this
great bull must be self-evident from our tab-
ulation. Justice compels the placing of the
laurel wreath i-ather upon Thomas Bates and
l02' A HiST6EY OF SHORT-HOEN CATTLE.
his great "find" at Wolviston, the Princess bull
Belvedere. The merit of the earlier Duch-
esses had been largely lost through excessive
inb^-eeding. The Princess-and-Oxford crossed
stock that acquired fame under the Duchess
name in the Short-horn world were in truth
Bates cattle, but had only a small percentage
of the old Duchess blood.
The responsibility for the existing scheme of
Short-horn tribal nomenclature and prevailing
methods of herd-book registration does not rest
entirely upon Mr. Bg.tes. We only use this case
as an illustration of the fact that the system
is calculated to befog rather than enlighten
those who seek to fathom the depths of Short-
horn pedigree records. One has but to tran-
scribe to a tabulated blank the pedigree of any
animal recorded in the Short-horn Herd Books
of Great Britain and America to see at a glance
what an absurdly small proportion of the an-
cestry is presented. Those who have all the
herd books at their command can under the
present system, it is true, ferret out the facts as
to the blood lines of their cattle, but until the
tabulation method is adopted for catalogues
and transfer certificates the average buyer will
possess but the mere shadow of a pedigree.
The Waterloos. — During the same year that
Mr. Bates bought Belvedere and the Matchem
Cow he had purchased from Thomas Parkin of
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES. 103
Thorpe, in the County of Durham, "a short-
legged, wide, red cow, with the look of a pure
Short-horn." She carried a double cross of the
Princess bull Waterloo (2816), and was doubt-
less descended all around from a well-bred an-
cestry. That she was a cow of marked individ-
ual merit seems clear from the fact that s^ e
was one of the five "top" females chosen to be
sent to be bred to Norfolk (2377). A heifer
(Waterloo 3d) resulted from that service, and
she became the ancestress of a fine family of
cattle still bearing her name. The Waterloos
were for years distinguished for their thick,
mellow flesh and furry coats, and during the
days when Short-horn fanciers were paying all
sorts of extravagant prices the tribe steadily
maintained its outstanding merit. Indeed it is
doubtful if any other one of the Bates families
held its character so persistently for so many
years under the stress of continued line breed-
ing. Further evidence of the original excel-
lence of the Waterloos is afforded by the fact
that Waterloos 12th and 13th were the only
females bought at the Bates dispersion by two
shrewd Scottish breeders in attendance, viz.,
Amos Cruickshank of Sittyton and W. Hay of
Shethin.
Wild Eyes Tribe.— This family traces de-
scent from a roan heifer calf bought at a sale
made by Mr, Parrington at Middlesbrough in
104 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
April, 1832, for £3. She had seven crosses of
registered bulls on a foundation laid in the
herd of Mr. Dobinson. Bates claimed that
through this heifer (Wild Eyes) he got "the
only good blood (Dobinson's) that the Colling
herds did not contain." Her sire, Emperor
(1974), was sold to the Russian Government.
At the date of the Kirklevington dispersion
sale this was the most numerous sort in the
herd.
The Cambridge (Red) Roses.— Of this strain
was 2d Hubback and Red Rose 13th — the Cam-
bridge prize cow previously mentioned. It
came into the herd early through Red Rose
1st of Mr. Hustler's breeding (by Yarborough),
daughter of the American Cow, whose history
is given in a preceding chapter. Red Rose 5th
of this family produced to Belvedere Rose of
Sharon, imported by the Ohio Company, and
ancestress of the American tribe of that name.
Under the name of Cambridge and Heydon
Roses and Rose of Sharons the descendants of
the Cambridge premium cow subsequently be-
came the subject of extensive speculations on
both sides the Atlantic.
Foggathorpe family. — The original Fogga-
thorpe cow cost Mr. Bates £113 at Mr. Henry
Edward's sale at Castle Howard in 1839. She
was a roan, nearly ten years old at the time of
the purchase. She was thought to resemble
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES. 105
old Princess in character and to carry the blood
of Charles Colling's White Bull (151)— which
Mr. Bates prized highly. Her descendants,
however, did not acquire as much celebrity as
the other Kirklevington sorts.
Blanche or Roan Duchess sort. — Another
noted tribe resting upon a Kirklevington base
was that of Blanche, derived from the fine
old stock of Mr. Hutchinson of Grassy Nook.
Bates bred them for some time, and Blanche
5th, by the Duke of Northumberland, produced
in Mr. Towneley's hands Roan Duchess, dam
of the famous Royal prize-Avinning Roan Duch-
ess 2d by Frederick (11489).
The Secrets. — This tribe derives rank as "a
Bates sort" from the fact that the maternal
ancestresses were cows bred and owned by Mr
Bates. The foundation cow, old White Rose,
was a half-sister to the dam of Belvedere, both
being daughters of the Princess bull Young
Wynyard. When ten years old she was bred
to Whitaker's Gambier (2046): This was in
1832. The produce, the roan White Rose 1st,
to the cover of Short Tail, gave birth in 1837
to Secret, sold in 1844 to C. W. Harvey. The
family derives its name from this cow, and sub-
sequently attained reputation in two directions,
to-wit.: Bates-crossed in the hands of English
breeders and Scotch-crossed by Mr. Cruickshank
of Sittyton. No representatives of this (nor of
106 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
the Blanche) family were contained in the herd
at the date of its dispersion.
So-called Bell-Bates tribes. — Several fami-
lies of Short-horns built up under Kirkleving-
ton's wing by Mr. Bates' tenants — the Messrs.
Bell — subsequently shared in the great wave of
popularity that finally set in toward the Bates
blood. Among these were the Barringtons,
Kirklevingtons, Acombs, Darlingtons, Fletchers
(or Filberts), Places, Harts, Georgianas and
Hudsons. The Messrs. Bell had the use of Kirk-
levington bulls, and Mr. Bates himself selected
some of the foundation dams.
Last appearance in show-yard. — For years
Mr. Bates argued in favor of prizes at shows for
family groups, and in 1S47, at the urgent re-
quest of the Secretary of the Yorkshire Society,
he sent the roan Oxford 2d, then eight years
old, along with the four youngest of her progeny
— two bulls and two heifers — and also one of
her grandsons to the Scarborough meeting.
The roan bull 2d Duke of Oxford (9046), then
three years old, was included in the lot, and
defejited the noted Capt. Shafto (6833), that had
been bought by Mr. Parkinson for 325 guineas
and was champion bull at the Northampton
Royal a few weeks previous. All six of the
group sent to Scarborough gained prizes.
At York in 1848 Bates again exhibited, but
without success, receiving but one prize, a sec-
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES. 107
ond on 2d Duke of Oxford. It is insisted, how-
ever, that the decisions gave universal dissatis-
faction. This was his last appearance in the
show-yard. He had bitterly opposed the whole
system of training cattle for show,* and was
wont to ridicule the claims of most of the
winners.
Dispersion of the herd. — On the 25th of July,
1849, at the age of seveuty-four years, after a
half a century's work with Short-horns, Thomas
Bates passed to his rest, and was buried in
the little church-yard at Kirklevington. " The
Druid" tells us that "his heart was with horn
and hoof to the last. Those who strolled with
him in his pastures recalled how the cows and
even the young heifers would lick his hand and
seem to listen to every gentle word and keen
comment as if they penetmted its import; and
even when the last struggle was nigh and he
could wander among them no more he reclined
on some straw in the cow-house that his eye
might not lack its solace."
Of the five nephews of Mr. Bates but one,
**' Bates was disirnBted at the amount of fulsome nonsense written
about the * InTlncible Belleyllle (6778), which won the champion prize, and
considered It his duty to warh f oreUrners against supposing that the deci-
sions at the Royal Shows, given by jud«res who were Indirectly Interested
in the success of the prise animals, were any guarantee of their usefulness
as hreedinir stock. * * * On one occasion he drove a friend over from
Kirklevlnffton to see Belleville at Mr. J. Mason Hopper's, at Newham
Orinffe, a few miles ofL They met Hopper on the road. Bates greeted him
with: * I am hringlng my friend to see your bulL I have told him that he
Is very fat and very quiet.' Hopper, who was rather a rousrh diamond, re
plied . * If that's sll you can tell him, gang back; ye need yae no farther. '
-ThoHMM JSofet and tlu KirkUtingtm Short-korm.
108 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
Edward Bates, had received a training in agri-
culture, and he was living abroad. There was
no member of the family, therefore, to carry on
KIRKLPJVINGTON, NEAR YARM, YORKSHIRE.
A CATALOGUE
OF THB
ENTIRE AND FAR-FAMED HERD
OV PURS
SHORT-HORNED CATTLE,
BBKD BY
THE LATE THOMAS BATE3, ESQ.
WHICH WILL BE SOLD BY AUCTION,
WITHOUT RESERVE,
BY MR. H. STRAFFORD,
AT KHiKLEVINGTON, NEAR YARM,
ON THURSDAY, THE 9th DAY OF MAY, 1850
BALE TO COMMENCE AT ONE O'CLOCK.
KiRKLBViNOTON 1» Iwo iiilleB from Yarni, twelve iiillos from Dar-
lington and twelve mile» from Northallerton, from which places there
Is railway conveyance to all imrtH of the Kinerdom.
CataloyneH may be had on application to Mr. SriiAiriruR]), 8, Camden
Villas, Camden Town, London.
LONDON :
PRINTED AT "THE MARK LANE EXPRESS" OFFICE,
24, NOUFOLK 8TKKET, 8TRANI).
the herd, and it was accordingly put up at auc-
tion at Kirklevington May 9, 1850. The title-
'25
Is
t!
^ o
IB
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES. 109
page of the catalogue is herewith reproduced
from a copy — now yellow with age — in the pos-
session of the author.
But five families — Duchesses, Oxfords, Water-
loosj Wild Eyes and Foggathorpes — were in-
cluded in the herd at date of sale. Nothing of
an historical or descriptive nature was given in
the catalogue, either in the shape of foot-notes
or introductory matter. No illustrations were
attempted, and the peculiar form of printing
pedigrees, to which British breeders still cling,
was used as follows:
Fourth Dcks op York (10167), roan, calved December 23, 1846;
got bj Second Duke of Oxford (9M6) ,
dam (Duchess Slst) by Cleveland Jj&d (3407),
g. d. (Duchess 4l8t) by Belvedere (1706),
gr. g, d. (Duchess sad) by ad Hubback (1423),
gr. gr. g. d. (Duchess 19th) by 2d Hubback (1433),
gr. gr. gr. g. d. (Duchess 12th) by The Earl (646),
gr. gr. gr. gr. g. d. (Duchess 4th) by Ketton 2d (710),
gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. g. d. (Duchess 1st) by Comet (155),
gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. g. d. by Favorite (252),
gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. g. d, by Daisy Bull (186),
gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. g. d. by Favorite (252),
gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. gr. g. d. by Hubback (319),— by J.
Brown's Red Bull (97).
A darker hour for the placing of a fine herd
of cattle upon the market could scarcely have
been chosen. At the Oxford Royal, a decade
previous, Mr. Bates had been offered 400 guin-
eas each for his prize animals, and at that
period he could doubtless have named his own
price for the Duke of Northumberland, but
times had meantime undergone a serious
110 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
change. British agriculture was now pro-
foundly depressed. Average prices at Smith-
field market at Christmas, 1850, ranged from
3s. to 8s. lOd. per stone of eight pounds. It
seemed fairly probable that the Kirklevington
Short-horns, representing the life-work of one
of the most enthusiastic breeders England has
ever known, would simply be led to a sacrifice.
Mr. Bates had often said that his cattle would
never be appreciated at their full value during
his own lifetime. He believed that his own
estimate of them would some day be accepted,
and, in later yeara this indeed came to pass.
The attendance was phenomenal in point of
numbers, being estimated at five thousand.
America was represented by bids from Col. L.
6. Morris and N. J. Becar. Curiosity attracted
many. Some, who had felt the lash of Bates'
free criticism during his lifetime, were present
to exult in what they doubtless hoped would
prove a Waterloo for the Kirklevington cattle.
As the first lots passed through, and the sand in
the auctioneer\s glass ran out at about twenty
guineas each, these small-minded individuals
broke into ironical cheers, but presently the
spirited bidding of Mr. Anthony Maynard
pulled values out of the mire and some good
prices for the times were registered. The roan
4th Duke of York, then three years old, was
conceded to be the outstanding bull of the lot,
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES. Ill
and had been valued by Mr. Bates at £l,000.
When Earl Ducie started him at £200, how-
ever— having previously made known his in-
tention to buy the bull at any cost— competi-
tion for him was silenced, and the Duke went
to His Lordship at what was considered a "bar-
gain-counter" price. The sale list in detail,
as respects the Duchesses and Oxfords, is here-
with presented:
bnCHBSSSS. £ g.
DuchASs 51st, roan, calved Aug. 18, 1842— S. E. Bolden 68
Duchess 54tli, red, calved Oct. 80, 1844— Mr. Eastwood 94 10
Duchess 66th, red, calved Oct. 81, 1844— Earl Ducie 110 6
Duchess56th;red-and-white,calvedNov.3,1844— Mr. Ambler 54 13
Duchess 69th, roan, calved Nov. 21, 1847— Earl Ducie 210
Duchess 61st, red roan, calved Aug. 19, 1848~Lord Fever-
sham 105
Duchess e2d, red-and-white, calved Oct. 10, 1848— Mr. Cham-
pion 126
Duchess 64th, red, calved Aug. 10, 1849— Earl Ducie 162 15
Grand Duke (10284), red, calved February, 1848— Mr. Hay. . .215
4th Duke of York (10167), roan, calved December, 1846— Earl
Ducie 210
Duke of Richmond (7996), roan, calved August, 1844— A. L.
Maynard 126
8d Duke of York (10166), red, calved October, 1845-G. D.
Trotter 74 11
Duke of Athol (10150), red, calved September, 1849— Mr.
Parker 42
5th Duke of York (10168) ,white, calved October, 1849— R. Bell 33 12
14 head sold for £1,627 lOs., an average of £116 58
OXFORDS. £ g.
Oxford 2d, roan, calved April 20, 18&9— Marquis of Exeter.. 54 12
Oxford 4th, red-and-white, calved Aug. 8, 1843— E. James. . . 28 7
Oxford 5th, roan, calved Nov. 24, 1844— Col. L. G. Morris
(U.S. A.) 74 11
Oxford 6th, red, calved Nov. 6, 1846— Earl Ducie 181 5
Oxford 9th, roan, calved Oct. 27, 1848— A. L. Maynard 42
112 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
Oxford 10th, red-and-white, calved Dec. SO, 184S-~Col. Morris 68 11
Oxford 11th, roan, calved Aug. 36, 1849— Earl Ducie 131 6
Oxford 13th, roan, calved Aug. 27, 1849— Lord Feversham. . . 86 1
Oxford 18th, roan, calved Jan. 7, 1850-N. J. Becar (U. S. A.) 63 8
Oxford 14th, roan, calved March 1. 1850— Mr. Downes 21
3d Duke of Oxford (9046), roan, calved August, ^1843— Earl
Howe 110 6
8d Duke of Oxford (9047), roan, calved October, 1845-Mr.
Robinson 64 1
Beverley (9664), red-and-wbite, calved October, 1848— Mr.
Townsbend 32 11
13 head dold for £894 12s., an average of £68 16s
WILD EYES.
36 bead sold for £1,203 Os., an average of £48 2s
WATERLOGS.
6 head sold for £367, an average of £89 10s
CAMBRIDGB ROSES.
8 head sold for £147, an average of £49
FOGOATHORPE8.
7 head sold for £338 138,, an average of £46 19s
GENERAL AVERAGES.
68 head sold for £4,558, an average of £67
15 bulls sold for £1,309 7s., an average of £87 5s
6 bull calves sold for £201 13s., an average of : £40
23 cows sold for £1,163 8s., an average of £63 17s
16 heifers sold for £1,221 8s., an average of £76 6s
10 heifer calves sold for £662 lis., an average of £66 6s
Sixty-four Duchess females.— The following
tabulation showing the record of Duchess fe-
males in the hands of Mr. Bates — for which the
author is indebted to Mr. Richard Gibson — is
worthy of being incorporated here for purposes
of reference.
It will be seen that there were but sixty-
four Duchesses all told. Of these, the last
(Duchess 64th) was calved after Mr. Bates'
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES. 113
death. The one calf of Duchess 58th was
Duchess 65th, that probably died young, as
Lord Ducie recorded the 1850 calf of Duchess
55th also as Duchess 65th. Of the fifty-eight
Duchesses old enough to breed previous to
Mr. Bates' death, which number includes all
that lived long enough to have numbers as-
signed them, two (13th and 57th) are recorded
as having died young; one (53d) was a twin
with a bull, and twenty-four others (so far as
the Herd Book records inform us) never pro-
duced calves. A cross from the prolific Wild
Eyes tribe might have materially increased
Duchess fertility during the "forties."
r
\
mn.
f
Jfii/«. Femalt.
Vamb.
f
1
f
^
Oueheaa 1
DuehecM S
taOB
Villi
r. AW.
r.Aw.
r.Aw.
Cofnet.. .,.,....
1
1
Ductless 8
Ketton..,
4
1 H S
Duobess i
Eettonlcl ^», ..«•«.,,,,,,.
Duchoss 6
IM7 r, &w.
m»y r. & w.
It:» r, Aw.
imi r. A w.
liti-'r. A w.
K<'ttoii1liK...... ,...^
Daoneas 6
I>uches8 7
Duchess 8
KLHioiiad .„,,*
MJirbkfj*... ,,.w ,..„♦»
Mai'bke . ...*..... .*.
4
8
1
Duchess 9
Mar!4Vi# +' ... f . ii Hi ... .f > F f . t ..».«» .
i' ^
Duchess lit
CJrVi'liind * * ♦ » ,
11
Duchess U
YuiinfT MiVrflkPf», .«..*.. ,..!...>..
1 1
.... I
Duchess 12
Duchess 1£
Tim Karl.... .,.* .....,., \
Tm»K:ipl... „.
Tlii^Eapl.. ***.**. .**♦*. .»,.
rin'Earl
Duchess 14'lft2;l r. & w.
Duchess Itt i!^24j
....
1 ....
Duchess 16!J«]4 > A w.
Duchess 17 , i»l:> i . A w
Tln^Esirl.. .* >**....* ...
...
!! : 1
^] f5:trl. ,„„.,«,
Duchess 18 Ji^^^t
y.r.
r.A vr.
i.Aw.
V Aw.
2d Hnlibatk.
Duchess 19 lJ§!2fi
•M llutibiwlt,,.,»,
6
• ••■
Duchess SO W^
M Earl....*...* .*.«*..**«*
Duchess 31 U»^
Duchess 22 U^^i
SdEiirl ,„ .,.,
■2fi Hiitibiiek *.,.*....
11
•••• ••••
Duchess 2^ 10:^^
ad Eafl. ,.i*
Duchess ft ih^;
■J4i Huljfmck
••.
Duchess 25 lUiti
I k>\\ . M H It fjL>:**'k .^ .
Duchisss Ig iir.-G
1 Aw.
iii HtibbJi-h *.....
1
1
1
114 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
r
t
'***
r
Vajcs.
1
■Olf,
1
r 4w,
r. ft w,
r. A w.
r. Aw,
roan,
p* A w,
rftl.
P AW-
r. A w,
roan*
roan,
roari.
roao*
red.
r. Aw.
p. A w.
3de(ibtjack,, .,.
2d Hubbacb*** . .
US
20
s
u
Si7
1 II
DucheBB 2v
2d Hu1>b;irk: *.>*.......*
'"k
1
e
ai1Hiibback.,„,
/d Ifiibbuok ,*,^,,,» ,,,
,,*,
Duoheas isi mcil
3lI Rubbatk, ,,..,., „,,„*,
.► *
<
1
]
1
8
Duc-hea* B3 ; im
Dut'h**Bs3H 1^^'
DrlvH-ilppr- „ ,, „ ,
liriVF^tiPr* ,
«jEimblt r., .,..*.,.,.,...,,.
H. lv*xlMr,/
n< 1 v + fletv .. , ....,., . „ . „
Nirfolt..,*. ,
B- |\>-di^rr„ „.,„ *„
JMvc.kTf*,.* ,.,, .,.,
B. iv.i^.n^ .,
B^Hvt^t-rp ,.,,.
Sc^lvetlere .* .,,.«^*,. .. ,*»,
***i
1 '
1
*,»■
,
...
i
1
3
i;ii
DiicLeBh li L^'iS
ShoM Tail , .K» ,., ^.„,,^*.
Duchi^ftB 45 li:t:'^
Sbor: Tall.-.,,..,
MI
1
Short Tall. ,.J
Sljort TalI-«, .,...^.,,.^..,.. ,
37 ....
i 1
....
DiicheBB 4H
l^i^y r. Aw,
14.^ r. A w.
Short TiilJ .*.«, *^w.^ , ,,,
Duchi'KB 4U
Sliort Tall.* ..,*. ..*,,,„
lftl5
Igtti
l»17
18*7
vm
roan,
poau.
p. Aw,
roan*
red,
roan,
rod.
roan,
r. Aw.
Dukn of Nciplhiunbprland,..,
Cleveland Ljid ...,-.,...
'* i
Dut'tn/BH W
Holtear.,.. ,,
Duki> of Nijpthuniber)iiml ,„
^laeveland Liwl
<ih Duki'or NopihitrulxTland.
:if 1 D L! k i' f >f No r t iiiiiiiberlan4.
?d Cie\*tHl:ind Ljitl ,*.,**..
I^rd EarriJimou
Total
m
41
4tt
,*,
Jmctit^B U
DiicheBR 5b
l>ucbeBB 6<l
Ducbesa b"*
1
1
'***
i
f
DuchtJ^ fi»
~»9
~i5
1
«1
~i
BticbesB fi@
?rj Duke of Ojcfopdn , ,
At
Wi
M
66
Bom preriouB
DiichtBa DO
BvK'tit'HH 61
?d Diikp of OKfopd .,
M Duke of OJcrgrd,
2d Dukf oJ Ojrford. ........ ,,».
to the «lesth of
Mr.Batee,July
' S&,1849. and at
DuclieoB ii4
roQ
n.
;;d Duke of OkJopcI.,...., *..,,.
sjd Duktj of Oxford
th ' ' ' '
ol
he
ai 11
d en
ive 1
aie
OUffl
orod
1 to
Doe.
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 whit€ in color; fifteen
being red-and-white and twelve red. The con-
THOMAS BATES AND THE DUCHESSES. 115
ceutation 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 oombinatioa of those qualities which constitute excel-
lence in the Short-hom 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 bock, 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. Batea' death was July 25, as already stated.
Throucb aome inadvertency the Inscription on the mo^iuinent reada "July
116 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
one of the most entertaining of all English
writers upon Short-hom cattle. It bears this
simple inscription:
TBI8 MIM ORlAIi
OF
THOMAS BATES,
OV KIBKLBVINGTON,
«in OF THB MOST DI8TINGU18HKD BRIBDIBS OV
8HOBT-HORN CATTLE,
ib rai8kd bt a few friends who apprbciatb
ui8 ulbours for the improvemkift ov
. british stock,
andbb8pbcthi8characteb.
Born 218T Junb^ 1776.
DiBD 26th July, 1849.
Drawn from Photograph bt ths author, IflBft
'l 1
• ^ ■■ i.
^ ■ ; ■
1 ' : ■ * .
1 ,«
0
a
o
O
CHAPTER V.
PALMY DAYS AT KILLERBY AND WAR-
LABY.
The establishment pf 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 w^ere 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 fii-st 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 champix)nship 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 bj^ the burning of the chan-
nel steamer that was conveying him to the Em-
erald Isle. Buckingham introduced the Old
NECKI^ACE AT Six Yeabs 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
white 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 CATTLB.
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 Athelstaneford.
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 flne-lookliur man, upward of six feet and fifteen
Btone, with rare hands and a fine (>yi; ta hounds. This was the sport he
loved best, and when he was on Jack o' Lintem or Eob Boy few men could
cross the Bedale country with him. • • • He was full of Joviality and
rood Htorh'S as wrll ns the neatest of practical Jokes. His friend Weth-
ei"ell generally liad his tfuard up. but when he received a letter, apparently
from the Earl of Tankervllle, saylng^ th:it he was to lot and sell the wild
White cattle of Chlhineham, he puzzled for minutes as to how on earth His
Lordship ever intended to catch them and brlnp them Into the Hng before
hL guessed the joke and Its author. • • • Booth Judged a great deal In
England, and never wtut for great size either In a bull or a cow. As a man
of fine, steady Judgment In a cattle-ring he lias i>erhaps never had an equal.
HedlfHl In 1857, after a weary twelve month» Illness, In his seventieth year,
at Killerby, and a memorial window at Catterlck, where ho rests, was put
■ up by his friends and neiijhbors and the Short-horn world as well."— 5ad<lf<
2nd Sirloin.
KILLBBBY 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-
ivell; 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 OP 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-honi 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, Ladythome, 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 CheiTy
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 evei7 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-Baine
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
Sti-awberry, 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 n. strong herd, includ-
ing Necklace, Birthday, Mantalini, Gem and
Hamlet— the latter regarded by John Booth as
the best bull he ever bredo It was a significant
fact that one of Richard's earliest ventures in
tile show^-field had been made with a roan cow
called Faith, of the Farewell family. She was
a large and excellent cow, but somewhat mas-
culine, and could only get a second against
Necklace at the Yorkshire mooting, 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 Foub Years Old.
Tam Booth Cow VIVANDIERE at Fivb Ybabs.
Brtd by John Outhwaiti. Bainesse, Yorkihirt, England.
KILLEBBY AND WABLABT. 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 OP SHORT-HORN CATTLX
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 themany celebrated bulls ever
used at Warlaby. He was never shown, so val-
uable vvere 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 requiriSy 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
KILLBRBY 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 showa 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 CATTLK.
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 Boyal 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
KILLERBT 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 Royal 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 levels — and
his ribs were finely arched up to the shoulders,
forming a cylindrical shape throughout; his
•Plam Blossom, according to Carr, was "a leTel, len^hy, short-leffged
cow of ffreat substance. She had abandanoe of hair, of a rich purple roan,
a very sweet head and high-bred appearance. While Htill but a slip of a
heifer (for Plum Blossom was no hot-house nursing, but a wilding of the
fields from her birth) Mr. Eastwood, yisiting 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 revlTlng 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
I»liim.* "
132 A HISTORY OP 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 £1.000 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-
fle$hed 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
KILLERBT 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 " ftueena."— 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 of 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-
•OM Caddy, lODcmme herdsman for Mr. Booth, would saj: ** Aye I yon*a
poor auki BHde Elect. Did ye ever see sic an a breast and sic lee^ht tlm.
bersT Yan wad wonder how ale bane could bear sae muckle beef. Look at
her rumpe and thlyhs, and loins, and aboon a\ that breastl Why there be
aoLalst plenty for twa beasts I '
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 Vale and Queen
Mab were described in the Journal of the High-
land Agricultural Societyy 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 hacl 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, Gampfollower 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, amojig 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 after^mrd 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
0;
I'?
— 8
y. a.
I
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 thedam 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 CATTLB.
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 bis 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,
wttlle his amiable wife lends a new charm to the old place; and
his rising family gives the promise of the continuance of the loog^
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, Hopewell wad raak' up a' deficiencies."
The fecundity of the Booth cattle was un-
favorably affected by high feeding for show.
They had not beeii 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 show-
yards.
We may conclude this reference to the work
of John and Richard Booth by the following
quotation from Saddle and Sirloin:
'*A more remarkable contrast than these two celebrated broth-
ers, both in form and temperament, is seldom met with in prac-
tice. John, the eider, was, like 'Robert Ck>lling, 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
Elichard 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-bearek^, 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 OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
and bowed to the Chairman and Vice in turn and let himaelf 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.
I
2
i
8
^K^v^ -^;'^!
fa
CHAPTER VI.
OTHER EMINENT ENGLISH BREEDERS.
The earlier volumes of the English Herd
Book contain the narpes 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 ntust not be
supposed, however, that all early knowledge of
the art of Short-hom-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-
(148).
144 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLB.
topher Mason of Chilton established a herd from
which Kirklevington, Killerby, Warlaby, Ury,
Sittyton and various American herds derived
undonbted 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 cow^ 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 (9763), 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
146 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
Capt. Barclay of Ury, along with several othei
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. SUU 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.
Dllsion, a man who attained high honor in connection with North-Oountnr
aiirrlcuUure, usually called on His Lordship at the Government offices when
In London. *' You've eonu about cow», Hr,'* observed the attendant, "to yeHl no'
tew long to imiM.**
In his younger days Grey was a schoolmate of John and Bichaul Booth
at Richmond. He was a great lover of cattle and was wont to spend liis
vacations with the Colllngs, Charge and Haynard. Dr. Tate once asked
him what he fotmd to talk about durlnir those visits, to which the youth
reiaied in due classic phrase: **Comet et id genw omn€,"'-SaddU and airloin.
148 A HI8T0BT OF 8H0RT-H0RN CATTLE.
The Earl was more or less of a speculator in
cattle, but was credited with having done much
toward making Short-horns *' fashionable "
among the great landed proprietors. He is
said to have been the first to command an ex-
tensive bull ti^de, and has been called a "cow
jobber." His herd was of mixed origin and
composition, and it is said was crossed in-and-
in, in imitation of the Collings, until constitu-
tion viras sacrificed. This fault seems to have
been corrected, however, for at the time of
Earl Spencer's death in the ** forties" the herd
numbered about 150 head, and his legatee, a
Mr. Hall, soon aftei-ward disposed of them at
public sale at high prices, one bull bringing 400
guineas, another 370 guineas, and some of the
cows 200 guineas each.
Jonas Whitaker. — Near the great manufac-
turing city of Leeds, in Southwestern York-
shire, Mr. Jonas Whitaker, a Quaker cotton-
spin ner, built up at Otley one of the largest
and best herds of its time; a herd in which
some of the greatest of the old-time bulls were
used, and fi'om which our early importers
drew some of their most valuable material.
Whitaker had more cattle recorded in the first
three volumes of cows in Coates* Herd Book
than any breeder in England, Earl Spencer not
excepted. In fact it was due to his personal
efforts that Coates was enabled to issue the
OTHER EMINENT ENGLISH BREEDERS. 149
first volume of the herd book at Otley in
1822. He was proud of the dairy capacity
of his stocky P&ying as much attention to the
udder as to any other point in the conforma-
tion of his cows and heifers. Among his most
celebrated bulls were Frederick (1060) and his
sons Bertram (1716) and Fairfax (1023). Fred-
erick was intensely bred in the blood of Favor-
ite and Comet Mr. Bates' Enchanter (244),
Ketton 3d (349) and 2d Hubback (1423) were
also in service. From Mason he had His High-
ness (2125); from Col. Trotter's came Plato
(505) and from Robert Colling's Harold (291).
Sir Charles Tempest's Dan O'Connell (3557)
also appears in the Whitaker pedigrees.
Wheu the agents of the Ohio Importing Co.
visited England in 1834 they were much im*
pressed by the excellence of Mr. Whitaker's
herd and bought some of their best cattle from
him, including the cow Josephine, by Norfolk,
and bull Duke of York (1941), by Frederick.
From this herd also came George Renick's
Prince Charles (2461), by Norfolk. The Renicks
used Whitaker blood freely in the Rose of
Sharons. Mr. Rotch and Col. Powell — Ameri-
can importers of a still earlier date — had also
bought of Whitaker, as will be detailed further
on.
Whitaker drew his foundation stock from
the best of the old-established herds, and had
150 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
such sound old blood as that of Charles Col-
ling's Old Daisy and Magdalena; Robert Col-
ling's Bright Eyes and Golden Pippin; Mason's
Portia; Maj. Rudd's Daisys; Mr. Chargers Pret-
ty maid and Venus; John Booth's Moss Roses
and Bracelets; Wetherell's Rosanne, a Red
Rose through the American Cow's line; Col.
Trotter's Georgiana, the Feldom tribe, from
whence came the celebrated progeny of Fair
Frances; Miss Fairfax, dam of the Bristol Royal
winner Sir Thomas Fairfax; the prolific Moss
Rose, and Nonpareil, the dam of the great bull
Norfolk (2377), sold to Mr. Fawkes and resorted
to by Thomas Bates. In fact Bates bought
Nonpareil at Mr. Whitaker's dispersion sale of
1833 for 102 guineas, besides breeding some of
his best cows to her son.
Wetherell, the "Nestor" of the trade.— As
a mere lad Wetherell listened to the lively
bidding under the lime trees at Ketton in 1810,
and like many others had an enthusiasm for
the "red, white and roan " kindled in his breast
that day which lasted throughout a long
and useful life. At the Barmpton sale eight
yeai-s later he bought Lady Anne at 100 guin-
eas and Cleopatra at 133 guineas, and before
night had them lodged at Holm House, where
he proceeded to build up his first herd. Here
was bred the famous Rosanna and the bulls
Magnet (2240) and St. Le.eer (1414), the latter
OTHER EMINENT ENGLISH BREEDERS. 151
sold to Mr. Rennie for 250 guineas. The herd
was closed out in 1828 and another founded
near Durham by the purchase at strong prices
of good. cattle from contemporary breeders.
H(B gave 250 guineas for Emperor (1839) and
100 guineas for his dam Blossom at Mr. Hut-
ton's sale. Emperor was shown at the New-
castle Royal in 1846 and won over a field of
twenty-four competitors. He had in this herd
also the celebrated Barmpton Rose, and after
breeding Princess Royal from her she was sold to
Henry Watson. She was carrying at that time
Buttercup, that became the dam of Butterfly,
which when crossed with Frederick produced at
Towneley the never-beaten $6,000 Master But-
terfly. It was from Mr. Wetherell's third herd
at Kirkbridge that Eastwood got Blanche 5th
by Duke of Northumberland and Roan Duchess.
From these came Towneley's great Roan Duch-
ess 2d and the show heifer Blanche 6th. An
outbreak of pleuro-pneumonia nearly destroyed
the Kirkbridge Herd and the farm had to be
given up, but nothing daunted a fourth herd
was established at Aldboro. Here he had in
charge of his devoted herdsman, John Ward,
such good ones as the roan Moss Rose, that
stood next to Warlaby's Nectarine Blossom in
many a hard-fought battle; the beautiful Stan-
ley Rose "with her gay little head and Bride
Elect bosom"; the stately broad-backed Lady
152 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
Scarboro and the fine bull Statesman, measur-
ing twenty-six inches from "hooks " to tail. At
Aldboro tiie roan Rosette was also bred (1856)
and sold to Mr. Eastwood, who declared her the
"best calf" he ever saw and afterward "the
sweetest cow." She was winner of many Royal
and other prizes and challenge cups. This herd
was at length dispersed at a memorable auction
sale which was well attended, and averaged
about seventy-three guineas for forty-eight lots.
Stanley Rose topped the sale amid great cheer-
ing at 300 guineas from Lady Pigot.
In the course of his long and active connec-
tion with the trade Mr. Wetherell acquired a
great fund of "cattle lore," and he was never
happier than when in the company of kindred
spirits with whom he could hold discourse on
the "red, white and roan." That delightful
"gossip" of days "lang syne," the late H. H.
Dixon, who under the nom de plunte of " The
Druid" has fairly thrown a glamour of romance
about the lives and characters of the leading
British breeders and sportsmen of the^olden
times, writing of Wetherell, his home and his
friends, says:
'''Nestor's' little home at Aldborough has many a herd me-
mento on its walls. There is the cow bred by Mr. Thomas Booth
which he sold at two years old to Mr. Carter of Theakstone and
then bought back at beef price and put to Comus (1861). She had
three heifers, and Mr. Rennie Sr. of Phantassie bid him 600 guin-
eas for them and ended by buying the oldest out of the pasture
for 260 guineas. The second went to Mr. Whitaker. Three roans
OTHBIR EMINENT ENGLISH BREEDERS. 153
are there from Herring's hand and painted in Memnon's year,
when he was a struggling coachman-artist in Spring Gardens,
Doncaster. .. Comet (156) is said to he the only one by Weaver in
existence. Mr. Wetherell always thought Comet too long, hut
still a more elegant hull than Duke of Northnmherland, who had
also to struggle against rather upright shoulders. Comet's kith
and kin are there in St. John and Gaudy, by Favorite, bred by
Mason, who always loved good hair.
"^Bid me discourse' is an invitation Mr. Wetherell never
shrank from; and, with the brothers Colling, Mr. Thomas Booth'
Sir Tatton Sykes, Capt. Barclay and Mr. Wiley on his walls, it
would be strange If he did not sit by the hour in his easy chair
and tell of old times and Short-horn doings when they were all in
the flesh. At times the gig comes for the Chief Baron to go over
and spend a few days at Killerby and Warlaby. He presides
there in great state at those ' high-private trials ' of Short-horns
under the trees in the home garth and cites the Charity prece-
dents. Mr. John Outhwaite frequently assists, and, adopting a
mode of practice quite unknown to the Westminster law courts,
that learned Baron generally backs his opinion from the bench for
one, if not two, new hats.
*' ' Great constitution ' is Mr. Wethereirs leading; tenet, but
' great size ' never was ; and if he does illustrate it he goes to Col.
Cradock, who gloried in it, and whose *' Magnum Bonum vxu like the
Grtttt EcuAemy He always considers that E^arl Spencer began the
bull trade and made Short-horns, so to speak, fashionable with
the landlords. It was the thing to go to Wiseton— more especially
about the St. Leger time— and if visitors liked a cow they bar-
gained to give £50 for the produce. The Earl crossed in till he
sacrlfloed constitution— they had thin fore quarters and no breasts
—and it tras then that Mason, a very clever, first-rate judge, a
hater of ' fooPs fat ' and open shoulders, and most decided about
fore quarters and a good neck vein, came to the £!arrs aid. Whit-
aker was a great keeper, and all for the milk-bag, and Bates' mel-
low, light-fleshed sort grew less and less robust— they would get
fat, but they would not swell and thicken like the Booths, which
will stand any amount of high pressure. Such is a mere fragment
of his confession of Short -horn faith."
From Wetherell's herd came some of the
best of the early American importations into
New England.
Wiley of Brandsby.— Samuel Wiley resided
1D4 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN OATTLK.
in the East Riding of Yorkshire; "his long,
low-pitched house, with the dark-green Cotoni-
astus creeping over it and peeping with its red
flowrets in at every lattice,*' being "quite the
realization of a snug Yorkshire home." He
was a great lover of Leicester sheep and Short-
horns, and in 1814 began cattle-breeding by
hiring from Wright of Cleasby a son of the
$5,000 Comet. Adonis, another Comet bull,
did him much good service, and was followed
by an own brother, Jupiter (343), the succession
being maintained by North Star (459) and Har-
old (291), which were returned to Robert Col-
ling before the Barmpton sale of 1818. At that
event he bought the ten-year-old bull Midas
(435), after a bit of warm work with Sir Wil-
liam Coolie, at 270 guineas. From Midas he
bred his great Grazier (1085), that was used by
Sir John Johnstone, Lord Feversham, Smith of
West Rasen and others until fourteen years of
age. One of his best sons was Ganthorpe (2049),
bred at Castle Howard. Whitaker blood was
introduced by Mr. Wiley through His Highness
(2125), an own brother to the 210-guinea High-
flyer at the Mason sale. Sultan (1485), a de-
scendant of Gen. Sirason's 300-guinea purchase,
Mary, at C. Ceiling's sale, was also used after
having proved his worth by siring in Northum-
berland a class of cattle that the border breed-
ers for many years fondly styled "the good old
OTHER EMINENT ENGLISH BREEDERS. 155
Jobson sort." Sultan got during his one year's
service at Brandsby the cow Sultana, from
which to the cover of Belshazzar, that had been
hired from Castle Howard, was bred the famous
bull Carcase (3285), that as a yearling stood
second to Hecatomb at York in 1838 in the bull
championship class, defeating Mr. Bates' Duke
of Northumberland, and was soon afterward
sold for 200 guineas.
Another prize bull of Wiley's breeding was
Van Dunck (10992), champion at the Yorkshire,
first-prize two-year-old at the Highland, and
after being placed second in the bull champion-
ship at same show to Maynard's Crusade sold
for 125 guineas to an Aberdeenshire man. The
Wiley cattle were not much shown for a num-
ber of years after these victories, but prizes
were not infrequently won on Brandsby bul-
locks at York Fat-Stock Shows. As late as 1869
Mr. Wiley reappeared with show cattle at the
Royal at Manchester, where he won first in a
ring of two dozen bulls with Earl of Derby, and
at the Yorkshire the same bull was second to
Warlaby's great Commander-in-Chief.
The Knightley " Fillpails/'— Sir Charles
Knightley of Fawsley Park, Daventry, after giv-
ing up hounds, about 1818, founded a herd in
the Midlands that acquired a celebrity for its
output of milk, cream, butter and beef even
more famous than that attained by Whitaker.
156 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
Indeed, the '*Fawsley Fillpails," with tl^eir
"beautiful fore quarters, gay carriage, general
elegance and strong family likeness," were long
recognized on both sides of the Atlantic as
constituting a type within the breed almost as
distinct as those to which Bates and the Booths
gave their names. A marked uniformity was
attained by the interbreeding of several differ-
ent tribes. The Rosys sprang from a cow of
that name, bred by Mr. Barker of Richmond;
the Rubys were obtained from a cow of Hon.
C. Arbuthnot's breeding; the Primroses came
from the old Charge stock; the Quickleys from
a cow called Valuable, bought from Maj. Bower,
and the Walnuts from a Booth foundation.
After a dash of Booth — through the bulls Argus
(759) and Swing (2721) — and a cross from Rob-
ertson, of Ladykirk through Caliph (1774), the
process of crossing the descendants of these
foundation dams was begun ; among the Faws-
ley-bred sires used in this concentration being
the noted Ruby bulls Grey Friar (9172) and
Little John (4232). A new element came in
through the Arl)uthnot cow Sylph (ancestress
of the celebrated Charmer and Sweetheart
families), bought especially to breed a bull
from. To a service by Little John she pro-
duced Fawsley (6004), a sire that was exten-
sively used. Tiio successful inbreeding of these
stiuins was followed by a well-considered cross
OTHER EMINENT ENGLISH BREEDERS. 157
of Princess blood through the noted Earl of
Dublin (10178), a white bull bred by J. Ste-
phenson of Wolviston, tracing to Angelina by
Phenomenon, the mother of the dam of Belve-
dere (1706). John Thornton says: "Sir Charles
took a great fancy to the Earl of Dublin, but
the only opinion that could be obtained from
him was that *any bull was big enough if he
were good enough.' "
At a memorable sale held at Fawsley in 1856
the celebrated white cow Cold Cream, by Earl
of Dublin, was bought for the Royal herd at
Windsor at 100 guineas, a great price for the
times. A granddaughter of this fine dairy cow,
Lady Knightley 2d, was first-prize winner at
the Royal as a yearling, and was sold for 500
guineas to Walcott & Campbell of New York
Mills, at whose sale she brought $3,100 and her
two daughters $5,000 and $4,000 respectively.
Bosquet, a bull whose name is often met with
in North Country pedigrees, bought by Hay of
Shethin at the Fawsley sale of 1856 for 200
guineas, was of this same branch (Furbelow) of
the Quickley tribe. At this same great sale
Mr. Thorne of New York bought four Rosys at
an average of about $590 each. The Knight-
leys seemed to nick particularly well with
Bates-bred sires in the hands of certain leading
English breeders, and were for many years
classed among the best Short-horns of their
time.
158 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
Fawkes of Famley Hall.— "The vale of the
Wharfe is adorned with elegant mansions, and
the views obtained from the neighboring eleva-
tions are at once noble and inspiring." So runs
a paragraph in an old Yorkshire chronicle. It
was here that Whitaker had his cattle, and
hard by the little market town of Otley was
established also the fine old herd of Mr. F. H.
Fawkes of Farnley Hall. Whitaker's Norfolk
(2377), the grand roan bull for which the Ohio
Co. offered $2,000 in vain, was the first bull
purchase, and in 1834 Verbena and Medora'
were bought at Richard Booth's Studley sale.
They were only "babies" at the time, but Me-
dora developed into a noble cow and produced
nine calves. It seems that after Whiteker dis-
posed of his herd in 1833 he bought some three
dozen well-bred Short-horn cows for the use of
the help at the Burley Mills. Mr. Fawkes was
so favorably impressed with this useful set of
cows that he arranged to have a number of
them — to be chosen by himself — bred to Nor-
folk. He was to pay ten guineas for each calf
at a week old, provided it "did not have a black
nose and had no symptoms of unsoundness."
Some sixty head were thus transferred to Faws-
ley, and the first ten bull calves by Norfolk av-
eraged 100 guineas each. One of these was out
of a half-sister to the cow Young Phyllis, an-
cestress of the American family of that name.
OTHER EMINENT ENOLISH BREEDERS. 159
and grew up to fame under the title Sir Thomas
Fairfax (5196), a Royal and Yorkshire winner.
He was sold at four years to B. Wilson of Bra-
with for 250 guineas. These Whitaker cows
and others, mainly of Booth, Buccleuch and
Brawith breeding, constituted a herd that sup-
plied many prize bulls and heifers at the Eng-
lish shows, among them being the white Lord
Marquis (10459), by the 200-guinea bull Lauda-
ble (9282). The dam of the Marquis was out
of Zuleika, a daughter of Norfolk's, out of the
Booth-bred Medora.
John Thornton tells us that the herd was
made up largely of " full roans," and that U was
the atcner^s practice to use light-colored bulls on
dark-colored cows as being more productive of
^ood colors. Mr. Fawkes took a keen delight iu
his cattle, and loved. to entertain appreciative
visitors not only with the roans in his pastures
but among the wondrous "Turners" that hung
in the picture gallery at "the Hall."
William Torr. — One of the most remarkable
characters of his time was Toit of Riby and
Aylesby, Lincolnshire. A contemporary of John
and Richard Booth and Thomas Bates; a man
of indomitable energy and extraordinary re-
sources, holding thousands of acres under
lease, he acquired fame as a successful tenant
farmer second to none in English history. Lei-
cester sheep and Short-horns were his favorite
160 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
* rent-payers." The latter he bred along inde-
pendent lines for some twenty years, but in
1844 he took the oath of allegiance to the house
of Booth, beginning with two years' service
from the white Lord Lieutenant- White Straw-
berry bull Leonard (4210). Vanguard (10094),
by Buckingham out of Young Isabella, came
for six years and left a grand set of cows, pos-
sessing great scale, deep flesh and rare coats.
He was exchanged for one year for Crown
Prince, and left altogether some 200 calves.
Baron Warlaby (7813) — by Buckingham — Hope-
well, British Prince, Fitzclarence, Royal Bride-
groom, Prince of Warlaby, Leonidas, Monk,
Lord Blithe and Mountain Chief were all hired
from Richard Booth, and from Barnes of Ire-
land came Dr. McHale and The Druid. From^
his own Booth-bred stock were derived such
sires as Booth Royal, Breastplate, Killer by
Monk and Blinkhoolie.
Torr's herd became in its latter days one of
the most celebrated in England, and its disper-
sion was marked by most extraordinary prices.
As this did not occur, however, until 1875 we
will reserve further details for a subsequent
chapter.
The long roll of honor. — To undertake in-
dividual comment upon the work of all who
are specially deserving by reason of their suc-
cess in breeding, from the days of the Ceilings
OTHER EMINENT ENGLISH BREEDERS. 161
down to the great rise of the Bates and Booth
power, is indeed a hopeless task. The records
of Coates' Herd Book and of the English sale-
rings and show-yards abound in evidence of the
fact that hundreds of strong, sturdy characters
in various parts of the United Kingdom were en-
gaged in the upbuilding of the breed. We can-
not indeed begin to mention in this connection
even the names of all who have earned the
gratitude of posterity for their intelligent de-
votion to the work of Short-horn improvement.
We have oixly given place in this chapter to the
foregoing personal references by way of em-
phasizing the fact that the breed did not lack
intelligent champions outside of the recognized
leaders in the work. Those named were per-
haps not more worthy than many of their con-
temporaries, but to particularize further would
burden our work too heavily with foundation
faults.
We would feign dwell here upon what was
done by such men as the Jobsons, Charge of
Darlington, Lawson of Stapleton, Cattley of
Brandsby, Col. Cradock, R. Thornton, Messrs.
Crofton, George Coates, the Wrights of Cleasby,
Sir C. R. Tempest, Champion of Blyth, Unthank
of Penrith, Smith of West Rasen, A. L. and J-
C. Majmard, Maj. Bower, Hon. J. Simpson, Col.
Trotter, W. F. Paley, Rev. H. Berry, Lax of
Ravensworth, Maj. Rudd, Raine, B. Wilson of
u
162 A HISTORY OF 6HOBT-H0RN OATTLB.
Brawith, Wilkinson of Lenton, Capt. Barclay of
XJry, Amos Cruickshank, Rennie of Phantassie,
Robertson of Ladykirk, Grant Duff of Eden, and
point out the distinguished service rendered to
the breed in its earlier years by such noblemen as
the Earl of Carlisle of Castle Howard, Yorkshire;
the Marquis of Exeter, Stamford; the Dukes
of Leeds and of Buccleuch, Earl Brownlow and
other great landed proprietors. We are tempted
here also to go into the operations of Earl Du-
cie of Tortworth, Bowly of Siddington, Bruere
of Braithwaite, Peel of Knowlmere, Col. Towne-
ley and others who carried the colors of the
reds, whites and roans to such great heights at
a little later period, but we have now reached
the point where, we must begin our account of
the breed in the New World, 'in the course of
which we shall have occasion to revert not only
to some of these but to the herds of Scotland.
The visitor in Britain will find many memo-
rials of Wellington and Nelson. The heroes
of Waterloo and Trafalgar England has indeed
not forgotten. Her parks and public places
are decorated by captured cannon. Deep down
in their hearts, however, the English people
have an equal pride in what has been accom-
plished in their pastures and paddocks. The
paths of peace have indeed yielded to them
*' victories no less renowned than those of war/'
The wealth, the brains, the persistence of the
OTHER EMINENT ENGLISH BREEDERS. 163
British nation have joined with Nature in de-
veloping an agriculture that has proved fruit-
ful beyond compare in the production of im-
proved varieties of fiesh-bearing animals. No
National memorial is needed to commemorate
the triumphs of men like those whose names
have been enumerated in this and preceding
chapters. They have won their way into the
memories and affectionate regard of the Anglo-
Saxon world in a manner at once peaceful,
practical and patriotic. Every man, woman or
child who sets tooth in savory sirloin or rich
roast **rib of beef" pays involuntary tribute to
the genius of those who led the early line of
progress in cattle-breeding in the historic con-
fines of York and Durham.
CHAPTER VII.
FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA.
From the green pastures of Old England to
the Western shores of the stormy North At-
lantic was indeed "a far cry" to those enter-
prising pioneers wIjq first conceived the idea of
transplanting Short-horns from these ancestral
herds to the virgin soil of the United States,
Ocean cables and fast "liners " were not at their
command. Three thousand miles of watery
waste had to be traversed by vessels sailing at
the mercy of iEolus, and the god of the winds
was not always in a propitious mood. How-
ever, this did not operate as a bar upon the
aspirations of those who, knowing the merit
of the newly-established Short-horn breed, de-
termined to introduce the blood in the seaboard
States. Unfortunately we have no verified rec-
ords as to earliest shipments.
Virginia in the Van. — The Republic is in-
'debted to the Old Dominion for the primal im-
portation of Short-horn cattle. No sooner had
the war of the Revolution reached a trium-
phant termination under the masterly guidance
of the great Virginian than the work of pro-
(164)
FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMBRICA. 165
viding the ways and means for a jnore diversi-
fied system of agriculture was taken up by the
farmers and planters of that section. Some-
thing more than tobacco was wanted. The
historic "valley" was really well adapted to
the requirements of live-stock husbandry. As
nearly as can be ascertained at this late day it
was in 1783 that the first improved cattle were
purchased in England for Virginia. A Mr. Mil-
ler of that State, in connection with Mr. Gough
of Baltimore, must be given credit for the ini-
tial shipment. As to the number purchased no
record has been preserved. As to their charac-
ter we only know that they represented two
distinct types — one known locally as the milk
breed and the other as the beef breed.
Cliaracter of the Gough & Miller cattle. —
The "milk breed" was described as having short
horns and heavy and compact carcasses, the
cows displaying marked dairy propensities. In
color they were red, red-and-white and roan —
proof positive that they were of Short-horn
origin. The stock of the "beef breed" were
longer-horned and "rangier" in conformation.
They lacked the smooth, even lines of the so-
called "milk breed" and were slower in com-
ing to maturity. They attained large size and
made heavy carcasses of beef when fully grown
and finished. It seems equally certain, there-
fore, that they represented one of the older
166 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
types of the breed, probably the sort bred in
the Holdemess district of Yorkshire. This im-
portation, it will be noted, antedates the Col-
ling improvement. About two years later, or
somewhere between 1790 and 1795, one or both
of these same pioneer importers made a further
shipment of cattle of similar types from Eng-
land. That good use was made of. this blood
in the valley of the South branch of the Poto-
mac and adjacent territory cannot be doubted.
Then, as now, the ** first families" of the Do-
minion were proud of their country estates,
possessing the real English fondness for rural
pursuits and the finer types of domestic ani-
mals.
Kentucky and the Fatton stock.— The mak-
ing of the Ohio Valley States soon followed.
Over the wall of the Alleghenies, lured by the
golden promise of the fair and fruitful lands
beyond the Blue Kidge, the Virginians entered
into the priceless heritage of the blue-grass
regions of Ohio and Kentucky. The former
grazing-grounds of the bison were dedicated to
lowing herds, showing in many instances traces
of the magic touch of roan. In the first intro-
duction of the Gough & Miller blood into
Central Kentucky we find, therefore, the germ
of the gigantic American cattle trade of .the
present day. The conjunction of Short-horn
blood with the rich grains and grasses of the
FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA. 167
Ohio Valley called into being an industry that
has not yet received its full credit in connec-
tion with "the winning of the West." Lewis
F. Allen tells the story of how the Pattons laid
the foundation for nearly all that follows in
this volume relating to the extension of Short-
horH blood throughout the great agricultui-al
States in the following language:
**Two years after the first importation, in the year 1786, two sons
and a son-in-law (Mr. Gay) of Mr. Matthew Patton, then a resi-
dent of Virginia, took into Clark Co., Ky., one of its fine blue-
grass localities, a young bull and several heifers, half blooded (and
they could only have been calves or less than yearlings), of their
then-called * Ehiglish ' cattle. These animals were said to have
been purchased of Mr. Gough. It is not necessary to further note
these animals, as they were but grades, only to show the spirit of
enterprise among some of the sarly cattle-breeders of the State
in obtaining better stock than Kentucky then afforded for their
improvement.
** In 1790 the elder Mr. Patton removed from Virginia to Clark
County, in Kentucky, and took with him a bull and cow directly
descended from the Gough & Miller importation of the * milk '
breed, also some half-blooded cows of both the *milk' and 'beef
breeds. The *beef' breed were * long-haired, large, coarse,
slowly coming to maturity and fattening badly until fully grown,
yet tolerable milkers.' The 'milk' breed (of which the bull
and cow first named were of pure descent) were short-homed,
coming early to maturity and fattening kindly. Their milking
qualities were extraordinary. It was not at all uncommon for
cows of this breed to give thirty-two quarts of mUk daily. The
Short-horn bull, red in color, with white face, rather heavy horns
yet smooth and round in form, was called Mars. He is recorded
by number 1850, American Herd Book. The cow was called Venus,
white in color, with red ears, small short horns turning down. She
bred two bull calves to Mars and soon afterward died. Mars got
many calves on the native cows In Kentucky, which were said by
the old breeders to be both excellent milkers and good fattening
animals. Mars remained with Mr. Patton until the death of the
latter, in 1803, when the bull was sold to a Mr. Peeples, in Mont-
gomery Co., Ky ., in whose possession he died in 1806. Of the two
168 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
bulls deeoeaded from Mars and Venus one was taken to Jessamine
Co., Ky., the other to Ohio, probably the Scioto Valley; but as all
this breed or breeds, in their various intermixtures after their
introduction in Kentucky, were called *Patton stock,' they became
commingled, the shorter-homed and refined ones with the longer- <
horned and coarser ones, and were, for many years afterward,
universally known by uhat name only.
"In the year 1808 Mr. Daniel Harrison, James Patton and
James Gay, of Clark Co., Ky., bought of Mr. Miller, the importer,
living in Virginia, a two-year-old bull, descended from a bull and
cow of his importation. This bull was called Pluto (825 A. H. B.)
and said to be of the * milk ' breed. He is described as * dark-roan
or red in c3lor, large in size, with small head and neck, light,
short horns, small-boned and heavily fleshed.' He was bred
mostly to * Patton' cows and produced some fine milkers. He was
taken to Ohio about the year 1812 and died soon afterward.
" In the year 1810 Capt. William Smith of Fayette Co., Ky., pur-
chased of the before-mentioned Mr. Miller of Virginia and brought
to Kentucky a bull called Buzzard 804 (3264). He was coarser,
larger, and taller than Pluto, but not so heavy. He was bred in
different herds many years, and also used by the Society of Shak-
ers at Pleasant Hill, Mercer Co., Ky., in 1821 and for some years
afterward.
''In the year 1811 the buU Shaker (2198 A. H. B.) was bought
of Mr. Miller aforesaid, and used some years both by the Pleasant
Hill, Ky., and Union Village, O., Societies of Shakers. They
afterward sold him to Messrs. Welton and Hutchcraft of Ken-
tucky. He was of the ' milk,' or Short-horn breed. This account
we have from Messrs. Micajah Burnett of the Pleasant Hill and
Peter Boyd of the Union Village Societies, and although they each
differ in some non-essential items the identity of the bull is fully
recognized. These four bulls, viz., Mars, Pluto, Buzzard and
Shaker, appear to have been purely bred from the Gough Sl Mil-
ler importations previous to the year 1810. From these bulls, but
not on equaUy pure^meA cows of those importations, descended many
animals whose pedigrees have been recognized and recorded as
Short-horns in the earlier volumes of the English Herd Book, and
of coDsequence since in the American Herd Book, as the latter is
founded on the English publication as standard authority in all
matters of Short-horn genealogy.
"During the years above mentioned several other bulls from
the Gough & Miller Virginia stock were brought into Kentucky
and Ohio— some with names and some without names other than
those of their owners^as ' Inskip's Bull,' ' Peeples* BuU ' (Mars^
FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA. 169
probably,), * Witherspoon^s Bull,' * Bluff,' and others. Some pedi-
grees in the herd books run back into several of those bulls,
which, as many pure-bred crosses have since been made upon
their descendants and been recorded in the English Herd Bool(,
most be classed in the family of Short-horns.
** From the above accounts it is understood where and how the
*Patton stock > originated. There can be no doubt that some of
the original importations of Gough & Miller were well-bred cat-
tle of the Short-horn or Teeswater breed (which were identical in
original blood), but without pedigrees; also that others of them
may have been of the Holdemess variety— coarser and less im-
proved—of the same race. From the various accounts which we
have gathered from different quarters in Ohio and Kentucky
some of them were rough animals, tardy in arriving at maturity ;
others fine both in figure and quality, and most of the cows de-
scended from them proved excellent milkers. Their colors were
more or less red, white and roan, which are true Short-horn
colors.
"These accounts are about as accurate and as much to the
point as the English traditions relating to the ancient Short-
horns or Teeswaters in their native land, and may be received as
a fair basis on which to found the genealogy of all the pedigrees
which trace back into the *Patton ' blood and are found recorded
in both the English and American Herd Books.'*
An early New York importation.— Tradi-
tion is authority for the statement that about
the year 1791 a Mr. Heaton, who had emigrated
from England to New York in 1775 and followed
for some years the occupation of a butcher,
returned to England and brought back with
him several Short-horn cattle from the herd of
George Culley of Northumberland. What be-
came of these cattle neither tradition nor writ-
ten history of the day records. In 1796 it is
further stated tliat Mr. Heaton returned to
England and brought out a bull and cow which
he had bought from one of the brothers Colling
170 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
and took them to his farm in Westchester Co ,
N. Y., where he then resided. It is surmised
that the Short-horns which he had previously
imported had also been taken to that place, but
as to this there is no verified account. What
finally became of the Heaton cattle and their
descendants nothing definite is known, except
that some superior cattle were for many years
grown in Westchester Co., N. Y., after the pres-
ent century came in, but no pedigrees of them
have been traced except in one or two instances
through " Brisbane's bull," which was purchased
of Mr. Heaton by the late Mr. James Brisbane
of Batavia, N. Y., in the early years of this cen-
tury. The bull left much valuable stock in the
vicinity of Batavia and was supposed to be a
pure-bred Short-horn. Of the Heaton stock
retained in the vicinity of New York nothing
further is known. It is altogether probable
that the people of that vicinity, knowing little
of any breed in those days, let the stock " run
out," and that the blood was finally lost in the
common herds of the country.*
The Cox importation.— While the Virginians
were settling upon the virgin fields of Ken-
tucky, and helping to occupy the rich coun-
try to the north of the broad stream of the
Ohio, enterprising men were seeking to intro-
, In this connection aee also the story of the Importation and retarn of
"The American Cow," page 4«J.
FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA. 171
duce advanced ideas in agriculture throughout
the territory once dominated by the Iroquois.
"Squaw-farming" had not caused the lands of
the Empire State to blossom as the rose, and
the white pioneers had made little progress in
the line of live-stock improvement.
Immediately after the close of the war of
1812 with the mother country Mr. Cox, an Eng-
lishman, brought into Rensselaer County, near
Albany, N. Y., a Short-horn bull and two cows
that were placed upon the farm of Mr. Cadwal-
lader Golden. This was before Coates and Whit-
aker had brought the English Herd Book even
to its manuscript stage. No pedigrees came
with the cattle. From this trio a numerous
progeny resulted, known in Short-horn par-
lance as "Cox Importation Cattle." The de-
descendants of the Cox cows were subsequently
crossed by the bulls Comet (or Cornet) 2649
(158) and Nelson 1914, imported in June, 1823,
by Messrs. Cox & Wayne. Some of the cows
thus descended passed into the possession of a
Mr. Matthew Bullock of Albany County, and
their progeny acquired local reputation under
the name of "Bullock stock." They were de-
scribed as "large, robust animals, good, al-
though not remarkably fine in quality, but of
true Short-horn type." Comet, or Cornet, was
a red-and-white (spotted) bull, bred by Sir H. C.
Ibbetson of Denton Park,.Otley, and was got
172 A HISTORY OF RHORT-HORN CATTLE.
by Meteor (432) — of the elder Booth^s.breedinfe
— a son of Albion (14) out of a cow by C. Col-
ling's Windsor (698). Nelson was a red-and-
white bull by Nelson (449), a roan bred by
Simpson of Babworth and got by Colling's
Ketton (346), he by the |5,00() Comet, going
back on the dam's side .to Charles Colling's
herd.
The first pedigreed bulls.— According to
Allen the first pedigreed Short-horn bulls to
set hoof on American soil were Marquis (408)
and Moscow (9413), imported into the Genesee
Valley of New York, in 1817, by Samuel M.
Hopkins of Moscow. Mr. Warfield lists this
importation as "supposed." The very cream
of the Charles Colling blood is represented in
the breeding of Marquis (from Mr. Jonas Whit-
aker's), as he had for dam the far-famed Mag-
dalena, by Comet, and his sire was Wellington
(679), intensely bred in the blood of Favorite
(252) on the Old Cherry foundation. Moscow
(9413) was likewise deep in the richest Short-
horn blood of his time. He was a roan of Sir
Henry Vane Tempest's breeding, of the Prin-
cess blood, sired by Wynyard (703) out of El-
vira by Phenomenon (491); second dam Prin-
cess by Favorite (252). Along with this well-
bred pair of bulls Allen says there came a cow
called Princess that was said to be descended
from a Robert Colling ancestry. It is said that
FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA. 173
descendants of these cattle, crossed by bulls
from Col. Powel's herd, presently to be men-
tioned, were purchased by the Holland Land
Co. for the benefit of the settlers upon that
corporation's lands near Batavia, in Western
New York, and were carefully bred for many
years.
The^Seventeens."— The first direct impor-
tation from England into the territory west of
the Alleghenies was made by Col. Lewis San-
ders of Kentucky, "a gentleman of character
and position," who was at this time actively
engaged in manufacturing, merchandising and
farming. He resided latterly in Gallatin Coun-
ty not far from where the Kentucky River
flows into the Ohio, a short distance below Cin-
cinnati.' The following statement as to the
cattle purchased on his order in 1817 is in Col.
Sanders' own language :
'* I was induced to send the order for the cattle (in the fall of
1816) by seeing an account of Charles Colli ng's great sale in 1810.
At this sale enormous prices were paid— 1,000 guineas for the bull
Comet. This induced me to think there was a value unknown tu
us in these cattle, and as I then had the control of mean deteiv
mined to procure some of this breed. For some years previous 1
was in the regular receipt of English publications on agricultura/
improvements and improvements in the various descriptions ol
stock. From the reported surveys of counties I was pretty well
posted as to the localities of the most esteemed breeds of cattle
My mind was made up, fixing on the Short-horns as most suitable
for us. I had frequent conversations on this matter with my
friend and neighbor Capt. William Smith, then an eminent breeder
of cattle. He was thoroughly impressed in favor of the old Long-
bom breed. To gratify him and to please some old South Branch
feeders 1 ordered a pair of Long-horns, and was more willing to d o
174 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
so from the fact that this was the breed selected by the distin-
guished Mr. Bake well for his experimental, yet most successful
improyements. I forwarded to the house of Buchanan, Smith &
Co. of Liverpool 11,500 to make the purchase, expecting to get
three pair only, with instructions to procure a competeat judge
and suitable agent to go into the cattle district and make the se-
lection, the animals not to be over two years old, and no restriu-
tion as to price. At the time the Holdemess breed was in highest
repute for milkers. I directed that the agent should be sent to
Yorkshire to procure a pair of that breed, then to the river Tees,
in Durham County, for a pair of Short-horn Durhams, then to the
County of Westmoreland for a pair of the Long-horns, etc.
*^The agent sent from Liverpool, J. C. Etches, a celebrated
butcher of that place, went as directed and purchased six pair in-
stead of three. It being soon after the war all kinds of produce
had much cheapened and the stock sold lower than was expected.
** After the cattle were shipped from Liverpool on the vessel
Mohawk, bound to Baltimore, Md., where the cattle afterward
landed, I sold one-third interest in them to Capt. William Smith
and another third to Dr. Tegarden of Kentucky.'»
Of the twelve animals bought, eight (four
bulls and four heifers) were Short-horns and
four (two bulls and two heifers) were Long-
horns The importation was made five years
prior to the publication of Vol. I of the Eng-
lish Herd Book, at a time when comparatively
few of the old-country breeders gave that strict
attention to their private records that after-
ward became imperative. The only infonna-
tion furnished in the invoice as to the Short-
horns is indicated below:
"'No. 1. Bull from Mr. Clement Winston, on the river Tees,
got by Mr. Constable's bull, brother to Comet,' afterward (155)
E H. B. The name of this bull was San Martin, afterward
(2599) in E. H. B.
'' ' No. 2. Bull, Holdemess breed, from Mr. So*tt, out of a cow
which gave thirty-four quarts of milk per day.' The name of this
bull was Tecumseli, afterward (5409) E. H. B.
" ' No. 3. Bull from Mr. Reed, Westholme, of his own old
FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA. 175
breed.* This bull Is probably the one called Comet, afterward
188d A. H. B. Said to have been got by either Ck>met (155) or his
brother North Star (458) E. H. B.
** * No. 4. Bull, Holdemess breed, from Mr. Humphreys, got
by Mr. Mason's bull of Islington/ No herd-book record appears
to have since been made of this bull, and we know not what be^
came of him. Mr. Clay states that one of the bulls * was sold "to
Capt. Fbwler, who afterward sold him to Gen. Fletcher, and was
taken to Bath Co., Ky., where he died.'
^* Of the females the inyolce states that
**'No. 7 was a heifer from Mr. Wilson, Staindrop, Durham
breed.'
** ' Nos. S, 9, 10 were heifers from Mr. Shipman, on the river
Tees, of his own breed.'
^*' * In the division of the Short-horns above named Col. Sanders
became owner of the bulls San Martin and Tecumseh.' Col. San-
ders states that Comet became the property of Dr. Tegarden.
** * Of the Shipman heifers No. 7 became the property of Capt.
Smith and was called the *' Durham Cow." >
** ' Of the three remaining two were retained by Col. Sanders,
one of which was called ** Mrs. Motte " and the other named the
" Teeswater Cow." *
** The fourth heifer died in Maryland, never having reached
Kentucky."
The descendants of the three heifers Mrs.
Motte, the Durham Cow and the Teeswater
Cow are to this day known as "The Seven-
teens," so called from the date of the original
importation. Mrs. Motte* produced the four red
• In view of the lar^e number of descendants of Mre. Motte throughout
the country the following excerpt from a letter written to the author by Mr.
William Warfleld under date of Feb 21, lOie, may bo of Interest: '*Upon
the occasion of CoL Sanders' last visit to my father in the fifties I heard him
BUte the facts as to the naming of Mrs. Motte. At Charleston, S. C, during
the Revolutionary War, lived Maj. Motte of the United States army and his
family. Mrs. Motte bein«r a very great patriot was much concerned In the
doetnictlonof a certain fort which Interfered very much with the reduction
of the city. She learned that the destruction of a very fine residence which
was her own property— and which was already in the possession of the
enemy— would remove the difficulty of reducing this fort. Shtf presented
the besi^crs with a Quiver of African arrows to be used for that purpose.
Skewers armed with combustible materials were also used with more
effect'* In commemoration of this patriotic sacriflce Col. Sanders gave the
name of Mrs. Motto to his Imported cow.
176 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
heifers Lady Munda3% Miss Motte and Sylvia
to San Martin, and Lady Alice by Tecumseh,
besides five bulls. The Durham Cow was also
prolific, dropping eleven calves — five heifers
and six bulls — her last four being sired by her
own son Napoleon 1899, by San Martin. The
Teeswater Cow gave birth to four heifers and
two bulls. The leading Kentucky and Ohio
farmers of that period availed themselves
largely of this opportunity for improving their
herds, among those who purchased progeny
from the three Sanders cows being Gen. Gar-
rard, Dr. S. D. Martin, Maj. Gano, Dr. Warfield,
Judge Haggin, Walter Dun, T. P. Dudley and
the Ohio Shakers. Mrs. ' Motte's daughters
Lady Kate, Lady Munday and Sylvia inherited
the fecundity of their dam, producing in the
aggregate thirty calves, more than one-half of
them through Lady Munday and Sylvia, the
property of Gen. Garrard. The Durham Cow's
daughter Lady Durham left five heifers and
three bulls, two of the former going into the
hands of Benjamin Warfield. It thus appears
that the importation of 1817 became an im-
portant element in the breeding operations of
those enterprising men w^ho laid the founda-
tion for the subsequent popularity of the breed
in the States bordering upon the Ohio River;
and the cattle derived from that source were
FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA. 177
for a long series of years among the very best
Short-horns known in the United States.
Notwithstanding the marked excellence of
the so-called "Seven teens'* there sprang up,
after the era of herd books and "fashion" in
blood lines asserted powerful influence upon
the breed, a prejudice against them which prac-
tical men were unfortunately unable to wholly
overcome. Parties who were breeding from cat-
tle drawn from the later and fully-pedigreed
importations began casting aspersions upon
the "purity" of the blood of the Sanders stock
because the foundation dams had no extended
pedigrees. In regard to this much nonsense
has been written. For instance, the "cock-
and-bull" story of the late Ambrose Stevens,
as published in Vol. II of the American Short-
horn Herd Book and repeated in Allen's "His-
tory of the Short-horns" (page 166), fitting
Mrs. Motte out with a long pedigree running
back to Lady Maynard, alleged to have been sup-
plied by Thos. Bates. This had no basis what-
ever in fact. The simple truth is that the cat-
tle bought by the butcher, Mr. Etches, were
doubtless good ones individually, although not
bred by men who had preserved records of their
breeding or acquired reputations. The animals
clearly belonged to the same class .of market
stock from whence Thomas Booth drew the an-
cestral dams of a number of those families
178 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLK.
that afterward acquired international fame at
Killerby and Warlaby, as detailed in preceding
chapters. In the hands of such men as Gar-
rard, Clay, Warfield, Bedford, the Renicks,
Trimble, Harrold and other breeders of sound
judgment a class of cattle sprang from this
foundation that would have compared favora-
bly with the best results attained by their
English contemporaries, the Messrs. Booth and
others, whose cattle — similarly descended —
became *^ fashionable.'' In vain was this fact
pointed out by thoughtful and disinterested
men. Vain were all the winnings of the de-
scendants of the importation of 1817 at the
great shows of the West, The fiat of fashion
went out against them in the later years, and
whole herds of valuable cattle carrying but a
mere drop of the original "Seventeen" blood
were practically lost to the brsed because of
the unreasoning prejudice created against
them.*
The imported Long-horns were sold by Col.
Sanders to Capt. Smith and Dr. Tegarden, in
whose hands they did not prove popular. Some
•The late Judpe T. C, Jones of Delaware, O., one of the closest stadents
of American Shortrborn broetiirtsr, onca said: **Wo have a frroat many
Short-horua of high, and even fa ^hionablc rank, the origin of whoac Uncage
la quite as obscure as that of the Short-horns of Col. Sanders— at a period
much less remote than the date of that importation. • • ^ A lanro class
of valuable cattle, with well-ostablished characteristics, has been sacri-
ficed. FoUowlngr the whims and fancies of speculators In pedlgrrees. In
some InstaiiccH, thlck-fleshod and quick-feeding catUe of this and other un-
fashionable strains of blood have b:?cn dl.scarded to make way for Uffhtr
fleshed and unthrifty animals of the fancy aorta."
FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA. 179
experimental crosses between cattle carrying
Short-horn blood and the Long-homs were
made in Kentucky, Virginia and Ohio,* but the
judgment of the best breeders of the day was
not favorable and the Long-horns presently dis-
appeared.
In 1818 Mr. James Prentice of Lexington?
Ky., imported the two bulls Prince Regent 877
and John Bull 598|, both certified to be of pure
Short-horn blood but not supplied with pedi-
grees. John Bull was described as a deep red,
of fine size and good form, with small down-
curving horns. Prince Regent was "pied,"
white with some red spots. As indicating the
enterprise of the Kentucky breeders of that
day in the work of improving their cattle it
may be stated that these bulls were purchased
by Nathaniel Hart of Woodford County and
* George Benick of Ohio was amomr those who triod the cross and dis-
carded the Long^hom blood. Writing upon this subject Mr. Brutus J. Clay
of Bourbotk Co., Ky., said: *' We recollect in 1821, when just verging into
manhood, taking a horseback Journey from Columbus to Circlcville, O., in
the Tlclnl^ of which latter town the Renlck brothers owned lanrc landed
estates. We saw a herd of a dozen or more long-horned cattle grazing In a
field by the side of the road. Their singular appearance, grazing on the
rich blue grass or lying under the shade of the majestic trees, attracted our
attention. We rode up to the fence, hitched our horse and went into the
field to Ylew them. They had every appearance of being either pure-bred
or high grades of the liong-hom breed, with long, drooping horns pushing
forward beyond their noses or falling below their Jawa, light brindle in
color, with white stripes along their backs, as we now see their portraits
in the books. They were long-bodled, a little swayed in the back, not very
compact in shape, but withal imposing animals to the eye. We made no in-
quiries about them at the time, as wo knew little of breeds of cattle. Thirty
years afterward, being again at Circlcville. and having a better knowledge
of breeds, on Inaoiry for cattle of that character we could find no trace nor
even a reeoUeeUon of them among the older farmers of the vicinity."
180 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN OATTLB.
John Hart of Fayette County for $1,500, and
they are said to have left good stock. It thus
appears that the foundation of the Short-horn
breeding interest in Kentucky and Ohio was
laid mainly in the Gough & Miller (Patton) and
the Sanders bloods, which were more or less
intermingled for a long series of years.
MassachusettB importations. — In Novem-
ber, 1817, Samuel Williams of Massachusetts, a
merchant, at that time residing in London,
purchased of Mr. Wetherell and sent out to his
brother Stephen Williams of Northboro, Mass.,
the bull Young Denton (963). He was a roan,
sixteen months old at the time of importation,
and was used in Massachusetts for about ten
yeai-s, after which he was taken to the State of
Maine, where he died in 1830. He was consid-
ered a very choice specimen of the breed. In
1818 Mr. Cornelius Coolidge of Boston imported
the bull Ccelebs 349 and the cow Flora, both
bred by Mason of Chilton and both sired by
sons of Comet (155). Mr. Williams sent out in
1822 the roan yearling heifer Arabella, by North
Star (460) out of Aurora by Comet (155), which
was also of Mr. Wetherell's breeding. Her de-
scendants, like nearly all other Short-horns
tracing to the earlier importations into New
York and New England, were distinguished for
their excellent dairy qualities. The Arabellas
were at one time a large and valuable family.
FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA. 181
During the same year several other cows were
imported into Massachusetts by Messrs. Lee,
Orr, Monson, and perhaps others, most of them
being purchased from the Wetherell herd.
Among these were Tuberose, by North Star
(460), and Harriet, by Denton (198), a son of
Comet. The latter was described as a very
fine cow, nearly white in color. In 1823 and
1824 Admiral Sir Isaac Coffin of the British
Navy, who was born in the State of Massachu-
setts, sent out to the Massachusetts Agricul-
tui-al Society the roan bull Admiral (1608) and
the red-and-white cow Annabella, by Major
(398), also from the Wetherell herd. A numer-
ous progeny claim descent from these animals.
In another shipment he sent the white cow
Blanche, by a son of Comet; Snowdrop, by
Fitz Favorite (1042), and the heifer Emma, by
Wellington (683).
Reference is made in the American Herd
Book to a bull called Fortunatus, or Holder-
ness, as having been bred by George Faulkner
and imported by Gorham Parsons, Brighton,
Mass., in 1818. We cannot identify him.
In 1828 Mr. Francis Rotch of New York, who
was then in England, shipped to his brother-in-
law Benjamin Rodman, New Bedford, Mass.,
the bull Devonshire (966) and the cows Ade-
liza, Dulcibella and Galatea, all from the herd
of Mr. Whitaker, all roans, all possessing good
182 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
pedigrees, and all sired by the famous Freder-
ick (1060). The cows gave rise to families bear-
ing their respective names, which, like the Pan-
sies and Arabellas, acquired wide repute for
their excellence at the pail. Devonshire was
bought by Lewis F. Allen, founder of the
American Short-horn Herd Book, in 1834 and
died at eleven years of age. He was a bull of
good scale and fine points. Adeliza and Dulci-
bella were good cows, prolific breeders, excel-
lent milkers, and lived to be aged animals.* In
1831-32 the young white cow Roxanne, by
Frederick, and her white heifer Mary Whitaker
were added to Mr. Rodman's holdings by pur-
chase from Jonas Whitaker.
In 1830 Mr. Enoch Silsby of Boston imported
the cow Agatha, by Sir Charles (1440), and the
yearling bull Boston (1735), both roans from
the herd of Mr. Curry of Northumberland.
They proved excellent breeders, and Agatha's
descendants subsequently became widely and
favorably known.
Early New York importations. — Gen. Ste-
phen Van Rensselaer of Albany, N. Y., brought
• SpcakinfiT of the purchase of these Whitaker cattle Mr. Rotch aald : " I
arrived at Otloy Just In t.tme to attend an exhibition of Btock^ which was
then the great and leadingr show of the North for Short-horns. My sudden
arrival as an American created mtieh interest and kindly feellniTt 'which
showed Itself in the strong- wish that I should not g-o away without obtain-
ing' the animals I selected, though they were not Intended for sale." Mr.
Rotch was a fine type of that intelligent body of men seeking in the early
days the Improvemont of American live stwk. He lived to a green old a^
at his coimtry homo in Otsego Co., New York, and retained a ffreat interesl
in Short horns to the last.
FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA. 183
out in 1823 from the herd of Mr. Champion the
bull Washington (1566)* and the cows Conquest
and Pansy by Blaize (76). Conquest failed to
breed, but Pansy had several daughters by
Washington that gave rise to a very noted
family of dairy Short-horns, afterward popular
throughout New England and the West.
In 1821 Humphrey Hollis, an Englishman
who emigrated to New York, brought out two
cows called Hart and Nudd, said to be sired by
Collings' Wellington. ' Their descendants were
at one time to be found in New York and Penn-
sylvania herds. In 1823 George M. Tibbetts of
Troy brought out a red bull called Young Comet
2419. In 1828 a Mr. Green of New York im-
ported the bull Banquo 1226 and sent him to
the State of Maine. About the same date Abi-
jah Hammond of Westchester County brought
out the cow Old Willey, unpedigreed, several of
whose descendants are recorded in the first vol-
ume of the American Herd Book.
In 1822 and succeeding years Mr. Charles
Henry Hall, a New York merchant who had
previously lived and done business in various
European countries, imported a number of
Short-horns selected from good English herds,
among them the cows Princess, by Lancaster
(360), that was bred in 1816 by Robert Colling;
•Lewis P. Allen lend» hi» name to the «latoment that WaHhInerton lived
to be Diueteen year» old. doln^ Horvtce lu hiM cii^hlecntb year.
184 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
Canada, by Sir Peter (606) ; Primrose, by George;
and bulls Regent 899, Young Hector and Comet.
A few of Mr. Hall's cattle bred from these im-
portations were kept on a small farm near Har-
lem, but the major portion were taken to Green-
busbj near Albany, where they were kept and
bred for some years. It seems that Mr. Hall
was not careful to preserve accurately the
breeding records of his stock, and through this
inattention the correct lineage of many of his
cattle was lost. Largely through the influence
of these purchases several other New York
business men imported Short-horns and bred
them on Long Island and in Westchester
County, but the pedigrees of these were neg-
lected also.
Col. Powers purchases. — Between the years
1822 and 1831 Col. John H. Powel of Powelton,
near Philadelphia, imported about twenty-four
head of cows and heifers and seven bulls, a
majority of which were of Mr. Whitaker's
breeding. Included among these were the
bulls Bertram (1716), Bolivar (804), Gloucester
(1074) and Memnon (1223)— all by Frederick
(1060); and the cows Belina by Barmpton (54),
Desdemona by Frederick (1060), Cleopatra (of
Richard Booth's breeding) by Pilot (496), Ruby
by Young Dimple (971) and Mandane by Rich-
mond (1380)— all of which founded good fam-
ilies of dual-purpose cattle. Belina was indeed
FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA. 185
one of the great dairy cows of her time, hav-
ing a well -authenticated butter record of 20^
lbs. per week. Cleopatra was the first Booth-
bred cow imported to America and was sold
by Col. Powel to David Sutton of Kentucky in
1833. She was called " a grand cow."*
The bull Bertram not only had the endorse-
ment of Thomas Batesf but was recognized by
American breeders as one of the best Short-
horn bulls that had been imported up to that
period. He was a compactly-fashioned, short-
legged red of Colling^s Old Daisy sort, possess-
ing a fine touch, good hair and an impressive
individuality. Allen says: " The cows struck
us as being of excellent quality, with indica-
tions of giving large quantities of milk; were
good in form, long in body, straight on back,
broad in the hips, with fine heads and horns,
excellent coats of hair and well-shaped udders."
Ancestress of the Louans. — In 1821 a Mr.
Law of Baltimore, Md., imported the roan cow
Rosemary (of J. C. Curwen's breeding), by Flash
(261), and her white heifer Virginia, by General
(272), that afterward passed into the possession
•See Preface A. H. B., Vol XIV.
t"I think the bull Bertram which you have bouerht of Mr. Whltaker of
Oreenholme iB t!hqr>0D6 toll I know of at present to lay the foundation of a
food stock of ShortllOniB In any country. He la descended from one of
the beat-milking' and qaickeet«razinf tribes, and one which yielded meat
of the best quality, and, as I found by expeHments, left the most fo. the
food consumed. I used the Daisy bull, brother of the great-grand'^m of
Bertram above thirty years airo. * * • I consider Bertram a much sup»
rlorbull to Comet, which bulll saw sold for 1.000 «ruineas.at public sale,
and afterward £1,600 was ofTered for hhn."— Thormu Bate» to Got. FoMxel, kOL
186 A HISTORY OF SHOBT-HOHN CATTLE.
of Col. Powel and became the ancestress of the
family so noted in Kentucky and other West-
ern States under the name of Louans. From
the Curwen herd Mr. Law also bought the bull
Bishop (73) and the cow Assurance.
During the same year there was imported
into Maryland the roan bull Champion (864),
the white heifer White Rose, by Warrior (673),
and the red-and-white heifer Shepherdess, by
Magnet (392) — all of Mr. Champion's breeding.
White Rose was in calf to Blaize (76) — ^sire of
imp. Pansy previously mentioned — and was
sold to Gov. Lloyd of Maryland. She produced
to this English service the bull Wye Comet
(1591). Shepherdess and Wye Comet were sold
to Col. Powel. Mr. Allen credits this importa-
tion to Col. John S. Skinner, and Mr. Warfield
to a Mr. Oliver.
Walter Dun's importations.— In 1833 Mr.
Walter Dun, a Scotchman living near Lexing-
ton, Ky., sent an order to a friend, one William
Douglas, residing in the South of Scotland, to
go into Yorkshire and buy several head of
Short-horns to be shipped out to America.
Ample funds were supplied, and the animals
were to be chosen with reference to quality
rather than to price or pedigree; Six head
were bought and shipped from Liverpool Sept.
5, 1833, arriving safely in Kentucky on Nov. 26
following. This shipment proved of much value
FIRST IMPORTATIONS TO AMERICA. 187
in capable hands on both sides of the Ohio River,
some of the best cattle of succeeding years tra-
cing descent to it. The imported cows were
Caroline (red), by Dash wood; Red Rose (red-
and- white), by Emesty; White Rose (white),
by Publicola; Multiflora (roan), by Walter;
Daisy (red-and-white), by Wild, and Premium
(roan), by Maximus, which were accompanied
by the two-year-old bull Symmetry (5382).
Some of the bulls appearing in certain of these
pedigrees were not at that time recorded in
England, on account of which efforts to dis-
credit their descendants were subsequently
made; and, as in the case of the '^Seventeens,"
Pattons and Cox cattle, such efforts were at-
tended with more or less success.
In 1836, in connection with Mr. Samuel
Smith, Mr. Dun sent another order to Mr.
Douglas, which was filled by the shipment of
the roan bull Comet (1854), the red-and-white
George (2059), and the cows Maiy Ann (roan),
by Middlesboro; Adelaide (roan), by Magnum
Bonum (2243), and Jewess. The latter proved
barren. Adelaide was in calf to Brutus (1752),
and gave birth to the heifer Beauty of Wharf-
dale. Mary Ann had been served in England
by Norfolk, and gave birth to the roan bull calf
Otley (4632). To these cows the American Ade-
laide and Mary Ann families trace. In 1838
Mr. Dun imported two bulls from Premium, by
188 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
Maximusy and Young Charlotte, by Thorp, re-
corded as Otho 794 and Tarik.1022.
Meantime the Ohio Co. had begun its memo-
rable importations, and the desire for good
Short-horns among the better class of farmers
was universal. Messrs. Dun and Smith both
died shortly after these latter importations, and
at an auction sale held by their executors Sept.
11, 1838, the prices made revealed the fact that
the breeders of that period were both prosper-
ous and enterprising. Imp. Adelaide brought
$1,375 from Messrs. Dillard & Ferguson, and
her daughter $755 from F. S. Bead. The cow
Adeline brought $1,030, and her daughter $440.
Imp. Mary Ann and her Norfolk bull calf, then
but ten days old, fetched $2,100 from Messrs.
R. G. Jackson and B. P. Gray, and Allen states
that Messrs. Wesson and Shropshire afterward
gave that amount for Otley alone. At this
same sale R. T. Dillard and C. R. Ferguson gave
$1,235 for the cow Ellen, C. C. Morgan $1,230
for the cow Cleopatra and W. S. Hume $1,000
for the bull calf Oliver Keen — all the property
of Mr. Smith's estate. The bull Comet had
meantime become the individual property of
Mr. John G. Dun, and for him the great price
of $3,000 was offered by Mr. Gray, one of the
buyers of imp. Mary Ann. He was bred by Mr.
Crofton from a Mason foundation. Otley was
supposed to have been bred by Mr. Fawkes.
CHAPTER VIIL
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS.
In a general way it may be said that during
the first period following the early introduc-
tion of Short-horn blood into America the type
developed greatest favor among the holders of
the rich lands of Central Kentucky and South-
em Central Ohio. In New England and New
York it had been chiefly in the hands of gen-
tlemen of wealth and leisure, and the fetrm-
ers of that section, who kept cattle mainly for
the dairy and the yoke, were rather inclined to
regard the breed as a mere "fancy" type, not
specially adapted to their comparatively thin
soils and rigorous climate. Still the merit of
Short-horn cows as dairy cattje was recognized,
and the blood was freely used by those who saw,
particularly in the Wetherell and Whitaker
stock, a valuable "general-purpose" type.
In Ohio and Kentucky the Short-horns found
a most congenial home, and quickly acquired
favor among practical men in close touch with
the Baltimore and Philadelphia markets — men
who had found in the Gough & Miller and San-
ders cattle a class of stock that made wonder-
(189)
190 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
ful responses to good keep. Their's was a veri-
table land of plenty — a country teeming with
corn and blue grass. York and Durham were
fairly distanced in comparison, so far as unlim-
ited feed supplies were concerned. Hundreds
of prime Short-horn bullocks were matured and
driven across the mountains to the seaboard
markets. It was in the course of this trade
that the Ohio Valley drovers and graziers, liv-
ing remote from the great centers of popula-
tion, learned of the establishment of the Powel
herd, and in spite of the distance and obstacles
to be overcome they invested in fresh blood
from that source and introduced it upon their
"^attons"and " Seven teens." When we con-
sider the length of the journey from Cincin-
nati to Philadelphia before the days of rail-
roads one can but admire the pluck and enter-
prise displayed by the sturdy pioneers engaged
in this ti-ans-Allegheny cattle traffic. Those
who had been fortunate enough in the first
rush of the tide of emigration to secure large
holdings in Kentucky and Ohio found that
Short-horn blood enabled them to reap a rich
harvest from their grain and pasture lands.
Never has there been a more complete demon-
stration of the value of good blood in farming
operations than was afforded by the history of
the introduction of the Short-horn into the
Ohio Valley States. To them the hoof of the
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS. 191
"red, white and roan" was indeed golden, and
to this day no other type of cattle has found
equal favor among those enjoying the fruits of
the Short-horn's peaceful invasion of the an-
cestral acres.
Feeding for seaboard markets.— Virginians
from the valley of the South Branch of the
Potomac were the most influential of the pio-
neers who settled in Southern Central Ohio and
Kentucky early in the nineteenth century.
They had been accustomed to breeding cattle
for grazing and feeding purposes and originated
the system of fattening steers in large num-
bers by feeding "shock" corn in the open fields
during the winter months. Among the earliest
of these emigrants were the brothers George
and Felix Renick, from Hardy Co., Va., who
found their way over the mountains on horse-
back, with the aid of a compass,* and selected
large tracts of land in the valley of the Scioto
River, near the present site of Chillicothe, 0.
Other members of the Renick family followed
them, but George and Felix by their enterprise
in cattle-growing gained the right to recogni-
tion as the most distinguished of those who
laid the foundation for Short-horn breeding in
the State of their adoption.
George Renick first conceived the idea of
^Hon. T. C. Jones* address before the Iowa Short-horn Breeders' Asso-
datton In 1884.
192 A HISTORY OP 8H0BT-H0BN CATTLE.
driving fat cattle from the Scioto to Baltimore,
and although his Virginia friends scouted the
plan as impracticable, he nevertheless put it to
the test, and in 1805 successfully drove sixty-
eight head through in good condition and dis-
posed of them at a round profit. The problem
of a market was solved, and the industry de-
veloped with amazing rapidity. In 1817 Felix
Benick drove 100 head of prime fat Short/-hom
steers through to Philadelphia, receiving for
them in that market $134 per head! In 1818
George Renick sent a drove through to New
York — ^the first Western cattle ever seen there
—that sold for $69 per head.* These cattle
were descended from the Gough & Miller stock,
the roan bull Pluto 825 being one of the sources
from whence that blood was derived. Felix
Renick became the leading feeder of "top"
cattle in his State, and aside from the Messrs.
Gofif of Kentucky was probably the most ex-
tensive breeder and feeder of well-bred bul-
locks in the United States in his day. George
Renick also fed largely for nearly fifty years.
Other successful Ohio breeders and feeders of
the early days were Gov. Allen Trimble, John
I. Van Meter, James Vanse, John Grouse, Wil-
liam, Jonathan and Thomas Renick, Messrs.
Huston, M. L. Sullivant and R. R. Seymour.
The latter fed from 100 to 700 head annually,
•Belated by the late William Benick of ClrcievUle, O.
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS. 193
and in 1841 drove 840 head through to Phila-
delphia.* The Shakers of Warren County also
gave their attention to the improvement of
their cattle by the use of the.Patton and "Sev-
enteen " blood. Cattle-feeding was thoroughly
established as a profitable industry by the time
the Walter Dun importations were made, and
the rivalry that developed between the breed-
ers and feeders on either side of the Ohio River
was like unto that which existed in Britain
"twixt North o' Tweed and South o' Tweed."
The owners of the Dun cattle were loud in
their claims as to the superiority of their stock
over the other Short-horns of that period. The
bull Comet was their trump card and was hav-
ing quite his own way at the cattle shows.f
Kentucky was for the time being "on top/'
Men of similar blood and with equal pride in
their herds dwelt across the river, however, and
they did not propose to permit their friends,
relatives and competitors in Fayette, Bourbon,
Clark and adjacent (Kentucky) counties to hold
the whip hand. They had the land, the feed,
the brains and the capital to defend their own
* Mr. Beymour removed from Vlrvlnla to Ohio in 1830. He says that when
be left Vlrvinia all the prineipal cattlemen in the South Branch Valley had
stock of the Engliah hlood, either of the Gou^h dt Miller importationa or
the Lonv-homs, and In aome Instances they had a mixture of those breeds:
as wte also the case to some extent in Kentucky and Ohio. This accounts
for the fact that about fifty years a^o it was not uncommon to hear people
•peak of ** Ijonr-hom Durhams." This mixture, however, proved very geo*
«rally unpopular.
r William Warfleld, in Breeder' t GoMette, Aug. 6, 1886.
1« .
194 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
position in the cattle trade, and they were men
of action. They had indeed already taken steps
to protect and promote their own interests by
the formation of the memorable
. Ohio Importing Company. — Felix Renick, a
man deserving high rank in American Short-
horn history as one of the most intelligent of all
those who helped to place the *'infant industry "
squarely upon its feet, was the prime mover in
a proposition looking to the formation of a
joint stock company to be made up of the lead-
ing contemporary cattle-growers of the Scioto
Valley and contiguous Ohio territory for the
purchase of English cattle. Nov. 2, 1833, ex-
Governors Allen Trimble and Duncan McAr-
thur, with the Messrs. Renick and others,
formed a company ''for the purpose of promot-
ing the interests of agriculture and of intro-
ducing an improved breed of cattle," and they,
together with the subscribers mentioned below,
contributed the amount of money necessary
"to import from England some of the best im-
proved cattle of that country."
There were in all about fifty shareholders,
but two of whom resided out of the State.
These were Isaac Cunningham of Kentucky
and W. H. Cunningham of Virginia. The fol-
lowing is a list of the other subscribers from
the several counties represented in this asso-
ciation: Ross — Ex-Gov. Duncan McArthur, Fe-
DEVELOPMENT OP OHIO VALLEY HERDS. 195
lix Renick, George Renick, James Vanse, R. R.
Seymour, E. J. Harness, Arthur Watts, S, Mc-
Neil, John McNeil, Wesley Claypool, John T.
Webb, Robert Stewart, Archibald Stewart, Jas.
G. White, John Pancake, John Foster, John
Grouse, Presley Morris, John L. Taylor, B. J,
Davis and Charles Davis. The subscribers in
Pickaway County were: William Renick, S. S.
Denney, Thomas Huston, Elias Florence, Josiah
Renick, Harness Renick, Thomas Renick, Wil-
liam Renick Jr., Jonathan Renick, Elias Pratt,
John Boggs Sr., J. M. Alkire, Francis Campbell,
Evan Stevenson, Ashel Renick and George Rad-
cliff. From Franklin County were: M. L. Sul-
livant, Lyne Sterling and E. W. Gwynne. Fay-
ette— Batteal Harrison, A. Hagler and M. Pat-
terson. Highland — Ex-Gov. Allen Trimble and
H. P. Gallaway. Pike — John I. Vanmeter.
The stockholders appointed Felix Renick as
their agent to proceed to England and select
the cattle. That his experience was such as to
qualify him admirably for the work must ap-
pear from what has already been stated con-
cerning his commanding position in reference
to bullock-breeding. Edwin J. Harness and
Josiah Renick were designated to act as assist-
ants. They were not limited to the purchase
of Short-horns, the idea being to entrust the
trio with plenary powers. Members of the
company were willing to experiment with other
196 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
breeds if thought advisable, and in a letter writ-
ten by Henry Clay to Gov. Trimble, dated Wash-
ington, D. C, Dec. 13, 1833, the great Kentuckian
advised the purchase of typical specimens of the
"Durham," Hereford and Devon breeds. He
thought the Devons might do well, as being
specially adapted for contending with the hard-
ships of the long journey from the West to the
Eastern markets. That Mr. Renick was not
averse to studjring this proposition is shown by
the fact that while at Baltimore en route to Eng-
land he and his colleagues visited a herd of
Devons belonging to Mr. Patterson of that city
and they were well pleased with the "rubies."
Proceeding to Philadelphia they called upon
Col. Powel, examined his Short-horn herd, and
received many useful hints from him in refer-
ence to the purchasing and shipping of stock
across the Atlantic. It is of interest in this
connection as showing the changes in popular
taste in respect to color that Felix Renick spoke
of the Powel cattle as " white, red-and-white
pied and the fashionable roan." They had set
out from Ohio upon their long journey on Jan.
29, 1834, and it is needless to say that they ar-
rived in England free from prejudice not only
as between the different breeds but also as be-
tween the rival breeders of Short-horns, con-
cerning whom they had doubtless heard some-
thing from Col. Powel before embarking for the
other side.
DBVBLOPMENT OF OHIO VALLBY HERDS. 197
Felix Benick and confreres in England. —
The Ohio Co/s agents landed at Liverpool March
24, 1834, and immediately addressed themselves
to the business in hand. As the visit was an
historic one, by reason of its far-reaching effects
upon American Short-horn breeding, some de-
tails will be of interest.
After examining a few herds about Liverpool
they journeyed toward Yorkshire, stopping at
Leeds to see the herd of Mr. W. F. Paley.
Finding his stock of excellent breeding and
quality they secured options on a few apimals.
They next attended the Ripley show, after
which they proceeded to Studley to see Rich-
ard Booth's herd. With the Studley cattle Mr.
Renick was well pleased, but as they were then
announced to be sold at a later date at auction
none could be priced. The herds of J. Wood-
house, A. L. Maynard, J. Clark and the elder
Booth (at Killerby) were next seen. Arriving
at Darlington the Americans fell in with Thos.
Bates. They were at once invited to Kirklev-
ington, Mr. Bates insisting that they make his
house their headquarters while in that vicin-
ity.* Mr. Renick writing of this said: "Mr.
•This Incident is thus related by Cadwallader Bates: " On Easter lion-
day, ISM, Bates was as usual at Darlington market. Some Americans atay-
Inff at the Klo^'s Head came up and spoke to him. * * * In the course of
tMe eonyerBallon Bates soon found that they possessed a ^reat knowledge
upon the subjoct of Short-horns. • • * He irave them full details of his
ezperlenoe» tellinr them, amonir other things, that Belvedere's sire, Water-
loo (2816), (hen in his sixteenth year, and Norfolk (2377) were the only two
bulls besides BelTedero (irC6) that were In his opinion the least likely to
t'it rood BU>ck.**~"Tk<Mna« Bate» and the Kirklevington ShorUhoms," page 217.
198 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
Bates is a wealthy bachelor, owns a fine farm
of 1,000 acres, all under best cultivation. He
keeps a dairy of forty or fifty cows, generally
of the best Short-horn blood, from which he
raises some very fine stock, and had then on
hand some young bulls an<l heifers better than
any we have seen elsewhere." Bates was evi-
dently flattered by the compliments bestowed
by these intelligent foreign visitors — ^the more
so, doubtless, as they had already been at Stud-
ley and Killerby — and to the surprise of his
friends he offered to sell them six of his best
females. The Americans were not yet ready
to buy, however, and continued their investi-
gations. Bates furnished them with horses
and rode with his guests for several days among
the herds of the Valley of the Tees; "but,"
says Felix Renick, "from our own observa-
tions, as well as the judgment of Mr. Bates,
their stock [that of the neighboring breeders]
is generally 'going back.'" He expressed dis-
appointment at the character of many of the
herds visited. They then turned Southward,
"Mr. Bates going with us." Evidently the
sage of Kirklevington was determined that his
guests should not "go wrong" in their buying
— from his standpoint — if he could prevent it.
In company with Bates they called on Jonfls
Whitaker, who had dispersed his herd the pre-
vious autumn.
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS. 199
At this point in their inquiries it was ar-
ranged for Messrs. Harness and Josiah Renick
to go to London and thence into Hereford and
Devonshire as per Henry Clay's suggestion. If
pleased with those breeds Felix Renick was to
join them and decide as to what should be done.
The impression made upon these gentlemen was
evidently not favorable as against the Short-
horns as no purchases were made. Meantime
Felix Renick went with Mr. Whitaker and Mr.
Paley to Lord Althorpe's, and with Bates to
Lord Feversham's. Mr. Fawkes, Col. Cradock
and Mr. Raine were also visited. It thus ap-
pears that a very thorough examination of the
English herds of that date was made, and in a
letter to his friend, S. S. Denney of Ohio, Felix
Renick gave his impressions of the cattle as
follows:
'* Prom the appearance of many of the old hnlls and cows we
have seen, which are now from twelve to twenty years of age, it is
very evident to me that their stocks here have been rather on the
decline for some years hack owing to several causes, the principal
of which I believe to be the unbounded prejudices generally pre-
vailing among the breeders, each one thinking his own the best
and consequently breeding in-and-in too much, to the great injury
of their stock, although some of them are now partially convinced
of their error and in some measure changing their practice.
'* We have done the best we could and procured some that are
at least as good as the country affords, for which we have paid all
sorts of prices, from 80 guineas up to 175 guineas, such is the
disparity of prices. The value depends almost entirely upon the
parity of blood and high pedigree. If a breeder here goes to pur-
chase an animal for his own use to breed from he will not have it
at all If he cannot trace it back some 50 or 100 years and have it
descended from the famous bull Comet, that sold for 1,000 guineas,
200 A HISTORY OF 6H0RT-H0RK CATTLE.
or some other equally as good ; and on the side of the dam it mosl
also have descended from Old Daisy, for whom some hundred
guineas were refused, or some other equal in their estimation.
Thus you see the situation we are placed in. We must either take
cattle without pedigree or much of anything else to recommend
them or take those that have at least pedigrees, with more excel-
lence of form and size, at a high price. The latter was in our
judgment the better of the two alternatives and the one we have
so far pursued, and shall continue to pursue, and take fewer in
number.*'
Having looked the ground over to his satis-
faction Mr. Renick selected and bought nine-
teen head of cattle — seven bulls and twelve
females. Norfolk he had been unable to secure
from Mr. Fawkes at an alleged offer of 400 guin-
eas. Mr. Bates had priced his "pet beauty ^"
Duchess 33d, at 150 guineas. Duchess 34th at 100
guineas, and the Matchem Cow at 15 guineas,
but neither of those noted animals was bought.
It is alleged that the influence of Mr. Whitaker
was strenuously exerted against the purchase
of these two Duchesses, but as the former (bred
to Norfolk) became the ancestress of the costly
New York Mills cattle and -the other produced
the Duke of Northumberland it was probably
well for Bates interests that the Americans did
not take them. Mr. Renick was particularly
pleased with the young stock by Belvedere and
took four of his get — two bulls and two heifers.
The cattle were shipped during the summer of
1834 to Philadelphia, whence they were driven
over the mountains through to Chillicothe and
placed upon Mr. Renick's farm. The judgment
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS. 201
of the stockholders and contemporary breeders
was that Mr. Renick had discharged his difficult
task in an eminently satisfactory manner. The
bulls were put out in servicfe among the share-
holders and the company instructed Mr. Renick
to arrange for further shipments.
Two of the heifers included in this importa-
tion of 1834 gave rise to families of Short-horns
which are at the present day among the most
numerous to be found in the leading Short-horn
breeding States. These were the roan heifers
Rose of Sharon, bred by Mr. Bates and sired by
Belvedere, and Young Mary, bred by J. Clark
and sired by Jupiter. Young Mary was taken to
Kentucky and is said to have produced no less
than fourteen heifer calves, besides one or two
bulls — possibly the most extraordinary case on
record. She lived to be twenty-one years old.
The red cow Blossom, by Fitz Favorite, and the
heifer Matilda, by Imperial, also left numerous
descendants. Among the bulls of this first im-
portation were the three-year-old roan Re-
former (2505), of Raine breeding; the yearling
Duke of York (1941), of Whitaker-s breeding,
and Rantipole (2478), bred by Mr. Paley, main-
ly of Booth descent.
Whitaker's selections of 1835 and 1836.—
Mr. Renick deemed it safe to risk the judgment
of Mr. Whitaker for such additional stock as
might be wanted, and wrote him as follows:
202 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLJ5.
"I am anthorized by the company to make another small impor^
tation in the spring, which I beg the favor of doing through you.
The calf of your old cow Minna by Norfolk I shall expect, pro-
vided he still continues to do well and proves, when the time
arrives for starting him, to be first rate in form, size, handling,
etc. This will be left entirely to your own judgment and deci-
sion. But we wish, if possible, to have something a little supe-
rior to anything that has yet been imported. If you do not con-
sider him so at that time we do not wish him sent. We also wish
you to procure us two young cows with calves by Norfolk or other
good bulL ♦ ♦ ♦ The prices we were asked for year-old bull
calves by Lord Althorpe and Mr. Bates were fifty guineas. From
others we could have purchased them, perhaps equally good, from
that price down to thirty guineas. We want none without fair
pedigrees, but form and size they must have or they will not be
well received here. You will, of course, not forget the handling
and quality.''
The importation of 1835 was a small one and
included several animals sent out on individ-
ual account. It was upon this occasion that
Mr. Bates shipped to America the Skipton
Bridge Bull (5208) and the heifer Hon. Miss
Barrington as a present to the Bishop of Ohio
at Kenyon College. In 1836 a large shipment
was forwarded, including many splendid spec-
imens of the breed. These lots came via New
York, being shipped from Albany to Buffalo by
the Erie Canal, by lake from Buffalo to Cleve-
land, and thence driven "overland" to Chilli-
cothe. Great care and j udgment were evidently
used in making those selections. Whitaker
had the assistance of Mr. Paley and Mr. Fawkes
and wrote to Mr. Renick shortly before the cat-
tle were forwarded «as follows: .. . ,
'*Mr. Fawkes and I returned last nijrht from our Utorof inspec-
tion among all the principal breeders from Ripon to the Bishop of
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS. 203
Darham's ; tbence to Mr. Bates', Mr. Maynard's, Mr. Wiley's, Mr.
Harrison's in the East Riding, Castle Howard, and, in conclusion,
the Earl of Spencer's at Wiseton. We were at it early and late
for seven days. Booth had nothing to sell. Col. Crsidock will
sell or let Magnum Bonum in the autumn, and Intends writing to
Gen. Garrard, who, he says, offered him 400 guineas for him, and,
the Colonel refusing to sell, he asked if another hundred would
induce him. John Colling said the General offered him 800 guineas
for two heifers. Mr. Coiling, has now fixed to sell his entire herd
in the autumn of 1887, John Maynard his in the autumn of this
year. • • • i attempted to buy something of Mr. Bates, but he
soared so high I could not grapple with him. For a bull calf five
months old, by Belvedere, dam by Belvedere, grandam Duchess
34th, he had the modesty to ask 400 guineas. I could have bought
two young bulls, but they were not good enough to send. Mr,
Paley has bought three females, but I have not seen any of them
but Sherwood's. I have finished my purchases within one beast
but have not time to give you particulars— In fact, cannot, not
having received authenticated pedigrees of several animals. I
shall have exceeded your limits, but could not avoid it."
The shipments of 1835 and 1836 embraced
forty-two animals, bringing the total number
of cattle imported by the Ohio Co. up to sixty-
one head, a complete record of which may be
found in the valuable list of imported cows
compiled by Mr. William Warfield and pub-
lished by the American Short-horn Breeders'
Association. Space will not permit us to enu-
merate all in this connection. It should be
stated, however, that among the selections
made by Mr. Whitaker were the afterward-
celebrated cows Josephine, by Norfolk (2377);
Young Phyllis, by Fairfax (1023); Illustrious,
by Emperor (1974), and Harriet, by Young
Waterloo (2817). When Mr. Felix Renick was
at Mr. Whitaker's in 1834 he fell quite in love
204 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
with the cow Minna, by Frederick, mentioned
in his letter already quoted. It seems that this
cow was also a special favorite with Mrs. Whit-
aker, and she promised Mr. Renick that the
next heifer calf produced by Minna should be
reserved for him. The cow was bred to Nor-
folk, and the progeny — the red-and-white Jo-
sephine, dropped in November, 1835 — was sent
out as a calf to Mr. Renick according to prom-
ise. She developed into a cow of outstanding
excellence, and her descendants for many years
constituted one of the best families of Short-
horns known in the Western States. Young
Phyllis was a roan, dropped Sept. 11, 1831, bred
by the Earl of Carlisle and imported for Mr.
E. J. Harness. This cow had a very distin-
guished career as a breeder in Kentucky, and
her descendants are now to be found in many
first-class herds. One of her daughtei-s, Cath-
erine Turley, by Qoldfinder (2066), lived to be
eighteen years old. Illustrious was also a roan,
dropped March, 1835, and bred by Mr. Crofton.
A high price was paid for her. Mr. Whitaker
wrote : "I consider her dear, but being a beau-
tiful calf and from one of the best herds in the
country I was obliged to give more than I
thought she was worth. As you wished some-
thing superlative I could not leave her." De-
scendants of Illustrious attained high rank as
show and breeding stock in various Western
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS. 205
herds. Harriet was a red-roan of March, 1835.
She was imported for Mr. James Renick of
Kentucky, a son-in-law of Mr. Felix Renick,
and her blood, as well as that of Josephine
and Illustrious, was afterward used by the late
Abram Renick in crossing upon his Rose of
Sharon family.
Among the sixteen bull^ imported in 1835
and 1836 one of the most noted was Comet
Halley (1855), a light roan bred by John May-
nard, sired by Matchem (2281), dam by Freder-
ick (1060), tracing to Robert Colling's Golden
Pippin. After Reformer became inefficient
this bull seems to have been more generally
used upon the best cows of the company than
any other except the Duke of York. He had
no difficulty in defeating in the show-yard the
bull Comet of the Dun importation which we
have previously mentioned. Qoldfinder (2066),
a roan of 1835, had a very successful career as
a breeder, fully confirming the hopes Mr. Whit-
aker expressed regarding him at the time he
was selected hs a calf. Prince Charles (2461),
another roan, calved in 1834, bred by Mr. Whit-
aker and sired by Norfolk, was imported spe-
cially for Mr. Geo. Renick and ranked among
the very best of all the bulls brought out in
the coui-se of the operations of the Ohio Co.
and its individual members. The roan bull
Nimrod (2371), by Norfolk, matured into a
206 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
grand animal, but he developed what appeared
to be a tumor before the company's sale, and
but for that would have doubtless brought a
very long price, as Abram Renick favored pur-
chasing him instead of Matchem (2283), but
his associates did not agree with him in this.
Nimrod was bought by Col. Florence and used
on grades. A few pure-bred cows were sent to
him, however, by Harness Renick and others,
the produce being cattle of extraordinary merit.
Sale of Oct. 29, 1836.— The object of the
company — the transfer from England of a val-
uable stock of breeding cattle to Ohio soil —
having now been accomplished, it was decided
to close up the financial affairs of the "syn-
dicate" by means of auction sales, at which
stockholders and outsiders alike would have
the privilege of bidding. The first of these —
which was the earliest important event of the
kind in America — was held upon Felix Renick's
Indian Creek Farm, in Ross County, in the au-
tumn of 1836. The cattle were in fine condi-
tion, the attendance was large and high prices
were realized, as will appear from the subjoined
report:
cows AND HEIFERS.
Teeswater, roan, calved Oct. 22, 1832; bred by Bates, of
Princess blood, and heifer calf Cometess, by Comet Hal-
ley— John I. Vanmeter, Pike Co., 0 12,225
Young Mary, roan four-year-old, by Jupiter, and roan heifer
calf Pocahontas, by Comet Halley— Edwin J. Harness,
Ross County 1,600
DEVELOPMENT OP OHIO VALLEY HERDS. 207
Flora, roan four-year-old, by son of Young Albion (780), and
bull calf Powhatan 828X, by Comet Halley— George
Renick, Ross County 1,206
Moss Rose, roan two-year-old heifer, by Stapletdn (2606)—
Jonathan Renick, Pickaway County 1,200
Mallna, red-and-white two-year-old, bred by Whitaker—
Isaao Cunningham, Kentucky 1,006
Blossom, red six-year-old, by Fitt Favorite (10t2)— R. R.
Seymour, Ross County 1,000
Matilda, red-and-white, five years old, by Imperial (2151)—
Arthur Watts, Ross (bounty 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 050
Celestina, roan, two years old, bred by Whitaker— Thomas
Huston, Pickaway County 080
Beauty of the West, red two-year-old heifer from imp.
Blossom, by Fitz Favorite— Asahel Renick, Pickaway
County 900
Lady Abemethy, roan yearling (imported), bred by Mr.
Wyli»— Thomas Huston, Pickaway County 815
Illustrious, roan yearling, by Emperor (9174) — Abram Renick,
Kentucky 775
Lady of the Lake, red, little white, yearliug 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 (3478) 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 Palcy, 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 CJounty 435
May Flower, red-and-white heifer calf, by Duke of York
(1941), dam imp, Matilda— B. Harrison, Fayette 0)unty 405
Lucy, roan calf, pedigree in doubt— George Radcliff, Pick-
Away County. 406
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 .835
Lady Blanche, sold as doubtful breeder— Charles Davis,
Ross County. 360
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 1,260
Matchem (2283), roan, five years old, bred by J. Woodhouse,
sired by Imperial (2161)^Renick, Cunningham and War-
field of Kentucky 1,900
Greenholme Ebcperiment (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 Warfleld of
Kentucky 1,096
Nimrod (2371), roan yearling, bred by Mr. Tempest, sired by
Norfolk— Elias Florence, Pickaway 0)unty 1,010
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 856
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 675
Windham (2845), red-and-white yearling, bred by Earl Spen-
cer—Charles Davis, Ross County 500
Davy Crockett (8571), roan yearling, recorded as from imp.
Young Mary— Peter Ayres, Ohio 480
Snow Drop (2654), white yearling, by Reformer (2505), dam
Lily of the Valley of the Tees-Stewart & McNeil, Ohio. 4aO
DETELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS. 209
Indepeadenoe (2153), roan yearling, by Elarl of Darlington,
dam imp. Matilda— Hagler & Peterson, Ross County 400
Commodore Perry (1869), red yearling, by Reformer, dam
imp. Teeswateiv-W. H. Creighton, Madison Coanty 400
Goliah (2068), red yearling by Earl of Darlington, dam imp.
Calypso— Isaao V. Cunnin^am, Scioto County 800
24 females sold for $19,545 ; an average of 1814.87
19 bulls sold for 14,995; an average of 780.20
48 animals sold for 84,540; an average of 808.25
The bulls Reformer and Columbus were sold
at this sale as " unsound," 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 —
M
210 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
Rose of Sharon 2d, by Comet Halley (1855);
1839 — Virginia, red-and-white, by Powhatan
828i; 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 Abram Renick of Kentucky, gained
international fame. After the conclusion of
this sale the imported bull Duke of Norfolk
was resold to Gov. Vance and J. H. James of
Champaign County for $1,400.
Final sale in 1837.— On Oct. 24, 1837, the
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;
calvDd December, 1882; sired by Matchem (2281), dam by
Frederick (1060)— George Renick and others $2,500
Acmon (1606) ,♦ roan, calved 1833 ; bred by W. Raine ; by Anti-
Radical (1042),damSally by Young Rockingham (2547)
— M. L. Sullivant & Co., Columbus, O 2,500
Hazlcwood (2008), red-roan, calved April 9, 1836; bred by W.
F. Paley ; got by Norfolk (2377)— Gov. Trimble and R. R.
Sejrmour 700
Powhatan 828)^, rcd-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 Hhow bull and also proved a superior Btock-«etter.
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS. 211
Santa Anna, loan, calved July 4, 1887; got by imp. Comet
UaUey out of Lily of tho Valley of the Tees— J. C.
Vance, Ohio Co. , Va 425
cows AND HEIFERS.
Elizabeth (imported), roan, calved in 1882; bred by T. Har-
rison ; got by Memnon (22dS) ; and calf --Gov. J. Vance
and William Vance, Champaign County $1,460
Flora (imported), roan, seven years, by son of Young Al-
bion (730)— M. Li. SaUivant, Columbus 1,300
Matilda (imported), red-and- white, calved April 12, 1881 ; by
Imperial (2151)— Allen Trimble, Highland County 1,220
Arabella* (imported), red-and- white, calved March, 1884;
bred by R. Pilklngton; got by Victory (5565) ; and calf—
Dr. Arthur Watts, ChiUioothe 1 ,200
Blnsh (imported), white, calved Jan. 10, 1835; bred by Mr.
Bowen; got by Monarch (2826)— John H. James, Cham-
paign 0)unty 1,015
Emily (imported), ♦* flecked," calved Feb. 25, 1875; by Maxi-
mus (2284) ; Asahel Renlck, Pickaway County 875
Victress, roan, calved Jan. 8, 1836; got (in England) by Nor-
folk (2377), dam imp. Meteor of the West— M. L. SuUi-
vant, Columbus 700
Charlotte (imported), roan, calved March, 1883; bred by R.
Pilkington; got by Alderman (1622)— J. G. White, Ross
County , 630
Fidelle (imported), roan, calved 1830; by Adrian (7720);
bought of Whitakcr, and the dam of bull Greenholme
Experiment in the sale of 1836— Allen Trimble 610
6 bulls sold for S 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 rrand cow and proved a ^reat breeder, producing tor
Dr. Watts many fine animals— among otherH tbu twin show cows Bessie
Belle and Mary Grey. Her boo Marshal (419^0) was ubeU by Geort^e Benick
and sired many fine cauie.
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-
van t, 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
* Araongr these was a well-known capitaliat, Lyne Starlinflr of Columtras,
who, when the a^ent of the company called after the last sale and paid him
more than double the amount of his Investment, was amazed, i^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 la re-
turn.—Hon. T. O. Jonu, in Breeder's Oazette, Sept. 7, Una.
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 bad a number of applications to purchase
some of them and bave been oifered 1600 for tbe youngest, a calf
less tban five months old. But we, as a company, have higher
views tban 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 difl5cult 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 Benick.— 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:
"KiRKLEViNOTON, Aprils 1838.— I think it on the whole better
not to send you any of my own cattle this season, the exchange
boing so ouch 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 (2631) 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 wUl find U aU money thrown away to
tmy any buU that has not »pruno from him.
"Twenty-eight days after the birth of the Duke of Northum-
berland (1940) , Brokenleg (Duchess 84th) , 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 cf 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 82d) 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-^ were far superior to those six, though very good.
Brokenleg (Duchess 84th) 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 (Sd 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 65S and Neptune 748,
and cows Britannia (roan), Victoria (white), by
Osgodley,aiid 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 Rose 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 oiit 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 Leonidas (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).
B. Huteheraft's importation. — Reuben H.
Hutchcraftof Bourbon Co., Ky., imported seven
BEVELOPMBNT 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 Gainf ord (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 Bs 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 8H0ET-H0BN CATTLE.
this account we append herewith report of the
sale:
cows AND HSIFBRS.
Victoria, roan, calved August, 1885; bred by J. EL Maynard,
sired by Plenipo (4724)— R. Fisher $1,750
Miss Maynard, roan, calved 1887, bought of A. L. Maynard,
sired by Chorister (8378)— A. McClure 1,005
Avarilda, white, calved April, 1846; bred by W. F. Paley,
sired by Norfolk (2377)— John Allen 020
f^hion, roan, calved April, 1833; bred by W. Cooper, sired
by Young Don Juan (^10) , and red-and- white heifer calf
Zelia, by Norfolk (2377)— F. W. Williams 885
Miss Luck, roan, calved May 25, 1834; bought of Mr. Whit-
aker, rired by Allison's Roan Bull (2999) — H. Clay Jr . . . . 800
Nancy, white, calved Jan. 1, 1887; sired by Reformer (2510)
—C. J. Rogers 780
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 Belvcdero (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 65C
Elizabeth, roan, calved October, 1832; bred by J. E. May-
nard, sired by Plenipo (4724)— A. McClure 606
Rosabella 2d, roan, calved January, 1839; bought of Mr.
Whitaker; sired by Velocipede (5652) , running to Col-
ling's Golden Pippin— W. A. Warner 466
Flora, calf of imp. Beauty— H. Clay 410
Lily, white, calved 1834; bred by L. Severs, sired by Count
(8506)— T. Calmes ;. 890
Britannia, roan, calved February, 1838; bred by Mr. Crof-
ton, sired by Emperor (1974), and heifer calf Dido— II. T.
Duncan 875
Isabella, white, calved Oct. 14, 1839; bred by T. Crofton,
sired by Melmoth (2291)— R. Fisher, Boyle County 855
«Lady Elizabeth was an exceedlnerly well-hrod cow and proved the
anceHtresB of one of the best families of Short-horns ever bred in the West-
ern States. The branch known a» the Nelly Blys, In the liandB of Mr. J. H.
Spears of IlllnoiB and others, acquired national reputation for their uniform
hiffh excellence.
DEVELOPMENT OF OHIO VALLEY HERDS. 219
Jessica, roan, calved Feb. 22, 18S9; bought of Mr. Maynard,
sired by Velocipede (5552) out of imp. Beauty by Belve-
dere—Joel Higgins 830
Maria, heifer calf from imp. Elizabeth— J. B. Ford 810
Miss Hopper, roan, calved 1835; bred by T. Crofton, sired by
Duke (1985)-W. T. Cahnes 270
BULLS.
Eclipse (9069), calved April 26, 1837; bred by Mr. Arrow-
smith ; sired by Velocii^ede (5552)— K. Fisher $^1,050
Carcase (3285), red-and- white, calved July, 1837; bred by S.
Wiley; sired by Belshazzar (1704)— Benjamin Gratz,
Lexington 726
Nelson 741, white, calved Dec. 4, 1839; bred by Mr. Whita-
ker ; sired by Sir Thomas Fairfax (5196)— P. Todhuntcr 610
ilk>lus 2CX), roan, calved April, ISiiO; bred by Mr. Rowland-
son, sired by Harlscy (2091)— K. Fisher 610
Prince Albert 2065, roan, calved May 25, 1840; bred by J. E.
Mayuard ; sired by Carcase (3285) out of imp. Victoria
by Plenipo— J. Floumoy 850
Bruce 289, bull calf from imp. Avarilda— M. Williams 815
Milton 713, calf Ox imp. Miss Maynard— James Gaines ?S5
19 females sold for $12,210; an average of $642.60
7 bulls sold for 8,945 ; an average of . 568.65
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 declininr; 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 SUte of Tennessee, and a few cat-
tle were imported into that State prior to 1840.
220 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTL*.
Unfortunately no exact data exist in reference
to these selecrions. It is known that in 1837
Messrs. Gordon & Bradford of Nashville im-
ported the cow Hibemia, 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-aud-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 OP OHIO VALLEY HERDS. 221
roans. Bella was pedigreed and passed into
the possession of M. R. Cockrill. .
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 OP SHORT-HORN CATTLB.
Warfield states that these cattle were sold to
Messrs. Shirley & Birch of Louisville, Ky. lu
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 2d (3127);
Flora, by Imperial (2151); Splendour, bred by
Mr. Cattley and sired by Symmetry (2723),
and Daisy, by Bamaby (1678). It is said that
most of these cowa 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 sanie time the
roan bull Albion (2971), bred by R. Lawson and
sired by Charles (3343). The pedigrees of some
of these cattle seem to have been perfect and
others were not. Mr. Warfield says: " So many
errors and blunders have been found in the 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-
DBVSLOPMENT 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 Red Prince (2489); Ele-
anor, by Brougham (1746), and Princess (or
Anne), by Captain (3273); the fii-st 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 1839. The Albany Cul-
tivator tor 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 sale; that Mr. Letton bad seen the Bates-Oxford bull Duke of Wei-
Unffton. bought by George Vail, land at New York, and was so favorably
Impressed that upon loamlnff that Duke had a half-brother (Locomotive.
that had been bonirht of Mr. BateH by J C. Etches of Liverpool for 100 guin-
eas) he determined to buy him. TIiiB lie did. aud the bull (Locomotive)
proved a Buccessful pnzc-wlnncr 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 Eefonner (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 CATTLK.
taken by Mr. Brent to Bourbon Co., Ky., in
1835.
Around 1834 to 1836 Thomas Weddle im-
ported about fifteen head of Short-honis, 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
emigi-ated 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 iijQ£;>0 iAT^tions.
Although her pedigree was mis'aiu she was
guaranteed a purely-bred Sj.cit-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, ii27
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. C. 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 w^ere 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 Wharfdale (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 Coming 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. Coming also ob-
tained the heifers Mary, MrA el, 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 Tprk 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.
VaU'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 cit y . Between the years
230 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HGEN 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 impoi-ted 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 Klrklev-
Ing-toa accouutH, Ixiarlng^ date of June 8, 1840. It appears that Mr. Vail paid
for Duke of WolUng^ton and DuclieBS the sum of £2(W. It appears from a
letter written by Mr. Hatea to Mr. Vail In 184:i that 100 milneas each was be-
hiK' ankiKl for such cat'wh; as Bates was willing to spare. In this same letter
Bates adds. " Tlie tribes of really pood Sliort-homs are very few. I have
trliHl myself above two hundred varieties. Out of these 1 have but slZ
trilMiS which 1 do not mean to part with."
EASTERN IMPORTATIONS. 231
roan Hilpa, by Cleveland Lad (3407); the roan
Yarm Lass, by 4th Duke of York (1X)167); 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 Barrington 4th.
Prior to Mr. VaiPs 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
• WritiniT to Mr. Bates In 1847 Mr. Vail said: " I sent my bull Meteor to
the show for eidilbltion only at the request of some friends, us 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, belonginsr to Mr. George Vail, was on
:heflrround for exhibition only, being excluded from competing at present.
Wo 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 yoimg Duchess bull
from you. I would much like one, but at present dare not venture the ex-
pense. • • • Meteor Is In some respects a finer animal t!ian W<'11in?ton.
He is t>etter 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-
kime 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 ratber thin across the twist.' His fore end cannot be
beat. He is a superior handler, as is also Meteor. The latter weighs 2JKn
lbs. and Wellin^on will wei^h nearly 1,900 lbs. Meteor would Uke hirb
rank even in yonr country. • • • Our county show took place last week
and was the best we have had. I was equally successful in winning pro*
mlttms here as at the State show. Hilpa took the first prise"
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:
ClarksTillef by Lottery (2227), a roan two-year-old heifer,
bought by Mr. Nefl for I6SM) and subsequently sold to John Ifadley
of Clinton Co., C, in which State she gave rise to a considerable
family.
Youog Isabella, a red-and-white cow, bred by Richard Booth,
sired by Memnon (22d5) out of the celebrated Isabella by Pilot.
She was bought by C. J. Wolbert of Philadelphia for 1406.
Profitable, roan, two-year-old heifer, sired by Young Ebor
(9682), sold to Mr. Neff of CinciuDati for 1560.
Ruth, red-and- white six-year-old, bred by Richard Booth and
belonging to the old KlUerby Moss Rose family, also sold to Mr.
Nefl at «MO.
Beauty,* red-and-white four-year-old, bred by Mr. Tempest,
sired by De Veauz (1916), runniDg throu^'h Bertram (1716) and
Frederick (1060) to CoUing^s old Bright Eyes sort. This cow was
likewise purchased by Mr. Neff at 1540.
* From Imp. Beaaty was descended the irreat family of show and breed-
ing cattle known as " Profltables," afterward famous in Ohio In the hands of
the late David Selaor, from whose herd many splendid Individual Short-
horns of that tribe were sold throusrhout various Western States. There
was at one time an effort made to discredit this family on account of alleged
InabtU^ to trace the lineaere direct to Imp. Beauty. The breediner was,
however, certified to by Mr. J. J. JoneH, who bought the cow Profitable 2d
from Mr. Keff. See reference to this in Bretder» Gazette, Sept. U, 18S2.
234 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
LiUcilla, roan four-year-old, by E>liDund (1954) , also bought by
Mr. Neff and resold to Benjamin Scott of Kentucky.
Brutus 31, roan yearling bull, bred by Wbitaker, bought by
Mr. Neff for $330.
Bruce (3233), red yearling bull, bred by Whitaker, bought by
Mr. Rotch of New York for 1380.
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 nifide no further ship-
ments.
Introduction of Princess blood. — Mr. Vail's
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 (R238), 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 wath 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 2d, 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 was of
course due to the fact of the great success met
with by Mr. Bates in the use of Belvedere.
Miscellaneous importations. — In 1835 Mr.
Harmer Denny of Pittsburg imported the red-
and-white yearling bull Young Buckingham
(1758), a roan two-year-old heifer and her sire,
a bull called 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
imi)orted 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 tw-in heifers Cornelia and Harriet,
l)y 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 duriug 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 bulls
that should have been doing service in the
herds of the farming community. Large num-
l)ers of good cows and heifers were fed off for
the shambles. Pedigree records w^ere in many
causes 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
Woodbum and Thorndale; the organization
of numerous importing coiripanies 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 ])reeders. 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,
l)y 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 Eryholme (12205), a roan of
* At a later period Balco passed Into the posseflsion of OeiL Sol Meredith
of Cam bridge 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 Rtt (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
nth. 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 w^as 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. 243
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 Thomdale 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 Thome 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 B^tes "boom."
Duchess 65th at 50 guineas, Oxford 6th at 205
guineas, Oxford 11th 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, at 350 guineas,
and Duchess 70th at 310 guineas. The Earl of
Burlington bought Oxford 15th at 200 guineas,
and the Earl of Feversham took 5th Duke of
Oxford (12762) at 300 guineas. The 4th Duke
of York (10167) was bought by Gen. 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 1S54 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
Gwynne 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 Acomb 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 61st, as a doubtful
breeder, at sixty guineas. He bre<i her Arst to Richard Booth's Leonidas
(1M14), but the calf came dead. Bred to Grand Duke. Ducht^ss alst pave Mr
Bolden the celebrated Grand DuchesscH 1st and 2d. the anccHireHHOH 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
Shethln. but there was no mistaking the outstnndln? excellenco of such of
his get at Mr. Bolden's as the Grand Duchesses. Cnerry DuchesH 1st and 2t\
Duke of Cambridge
246 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
ess 64th was left in England until the following
year, and in the meantime droppod 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. Thome 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, but he was not slaughtered
until 1857. With 2d Gmnd Duke was shipped
in 1855 the Killerby-bred Booth bull Neptune
8B00ND 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. Thome 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 Thome, 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.
Bevival 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 Bobb County Fair for 1849, In the Ohio OuUlmMtor, it is
said that " thu Durham Short-horns wore exhibited in all their sleeknees
and beauty. These arc, very justly, the pride of the principal fanners 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. Benlck.
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 g-ives the wei{?hts of several Shortrhom bullocks on exhibi-
tion; among' them a steer of Dr. Watts, three years old in April, weighed.
Oct. 6, 2,200 lbs. ; one, two years in February, weighed, Oct. 5, 1,780 lbs. From
the herd of George Renick a bullock of "preat i)erfectlon of form," five
years, weighe<l 2,800 lbs. Six others, only thn»e years, welerhed 1.8S0, I.TSOl
1,720. 1.680. 1,670 and 1.664 lbs, Tliest* cattle had not been forced as is the
modern practice, having only good grass in summer.— Bion. T C. JoiMttfn
Brudera GazetU, Oct. fi, 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 BHOBT-HOBN OATTLB.
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 (18992), roan two-year-old, bred by J. Wood; a
boll of marked excellence— Hon. John I. Vanmeter, Pike
County $2,610
Ck)unt Fathom (11816), robn yearlin^r* bred by F. H. FAwkes;
got by Lord Marquis (10459) ; proved a very successful
sire— N. Perrill, Clinton County 2,075
Master Belleyille (11T95), roan two-yeaivold, bred by J. M.
Hopper; sired by the show bull Belleyille (6778) and de-
scribed as "a grand, rangy bull and the sire of a large
number of fine Short-horns, including Billy Harrison
268, the prize bull Master Miller, etc."— Messrs. Renick
and Maypool 2,006
Lord Nelson 664, red-roan two-year-old, bred by R. Thorn-
ton—John L. Meyers, Fayette County 1,828
Gamboy (11508) , red-and- white, bred by F. H. FAwkes ; trac-
ing to the Booth cow Isabella by Pilot— M. L. SuUiTant,
Columbus 1,400
Rising Sun 5130, roan bull calf, bred by Mr. Wetherell—
Isaac Cunningham, Scioto County 1,800
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 1,160
Isaac 589, roan two-year-old, bred by R. Thornton ; a low,
compact ball 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., III.— Arthur Watts,
Chillicothe 460
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 251
GOW8 AND HEIFEBS.
Mary, roan two-year-old, bred by J. Emerson ; by Lord of
the Manor (10466)— Hon. A. Waddle $1,650
Sunrise, red, by Twilight (0758)— 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 greskt
milker; dam of prize bulls Master Miller 698, Winfleld
1107 and a yaluable progeny of females— F. W. Renick,
Pickaway County 1,235
Mobs Rose, roan six-year old, bred by J. W. Parrington;
sired by. Ravensworth (9487) ; afterward became the
property of Jacob Pierce, in whose hands she dropped
the show cow Mattie by Nobleman (13S92)— Hon. Alex.
Waddle, CUrk County 1,200
Raspberry, roan two-yearold, sired by Banker (11196) ; 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— Greorge 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 113,815; an average of $1,479.46
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 (12838), bred by J. Clark, of this importation
was out of condition and not sold. He became the property of M. L. Sulli-
rant and was noted for his wonderful coat of hair. Mr. Hamesa Benick's
prise heifer A#ittha, of the Blossom tribe, was one of his geU
252 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLB.
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 fifteen bulls and nine cows,
which, after the usual plan of these companies,
were sold at auction. The event occurred Sept.
27 at London, Madison County, the result, 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 (0277) , dam Beauty by Mussulman
(4524). This bull was kept upon the farm of James Pul-
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 ac(iuired distinction in show-yards were the
champion bulls Starlight 2d 2559, Buckeye Starlight
8718 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
bthers 8,000
Sheflielder (18693), roan two-yearold, bred by Mr. Hall;
sired by His Grace (101323)— J. W. Robinson, Madis6n
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-
ful! 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 Reybum, Madison County 025
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, Pickaway County 875
Beau Clerc (11160), roan two-year-old, bred by F. H. Fawkes
— D. M. Oreighton, Madison CJounty 750
Symmetry (12167), roan two-year-old, bred by J. Knowles,
sired by Phosphorus 0477— Messrs. Dun, Madison County 1, 150
Sportsman, roan buU calf— James Foster, Madison County. . 700
Duke of Liverpool, roan bull calf— George G. McDonald,
Madison County 555
Splendor 007K» roan yearling— F. A. Yocum, Madison 0)imty . 500
Prince Edward 864, roan yearling— M. B. Wright, Fayette
County 475
Rocket 021>^, white yearling— David Watson, Union (bounty. 425
Prince Albert 8284, roan yearling— J. F, Chenoweth, Madison
County 300
cows AXD HEIFERS.
Stapleton Lass, red-and-white roan three-year-old, bred by
R. Thornton, sired by Sailor (9502) ; 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 oow
Jessie, by Starlight 2d ; she was also dam of the prize
trail Buckeye Starlight 3718— Jesse Watson, Madison
County $1,350
254 A HISTORY OF SHOET-HOEN CATTLE.
Piootee, roan six-year-old ; sired by Robin Hood (8402) -^esse
Watson, Madison Ck)anty 1,276
Miss Hilton, roan two-yearold, bred by T. Raine— David
Watson 875
Princess, roan three-year-old, bred by W. Raine— William
Watson, Clark County 600
blossom, roan yearling, bred by R. Thornton— David Wat-
son 660
Victoria, roan three-year-old, bred by W. Raine ; afterward
property of James Follinerton— J. Q. Winchell, Madison
County 600
Alezandrina, white yearling, bred by T. Raine— David Wat-
son 660
Yorkshire Dairy Cow (not pedigreed)— Joseph Negley, Clark
County 426
Monsoon (not pedigreed) , dam Yorkshire Dairy Cow-^os.
Reybum, Madison County 396
15 bulls sold for $17,855; an average of $1,157
9 females sold for 6,720; an average of 747
24 animals sold for 24,075; an average of 1,008
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 (11857), 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
(9768) , running to Magdalena by Comet — Isaac and Solo-
mon Vanmeter and T. L. Cunningham, Clark County. . . 4,850
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 255
Oitmtes 2d (11877) , red two-year-old, bred by Earl of Bur-
Ungton ; out of imp. Goodness, of Mason blood— R, A.
Alexander, Woodford County 4,650
Young Chilton (11278), white three-yearK)ld, bred by J. Em-
erson; sired by Chilton (10054)— Dr. R. J. Breckenridge
and Messrs. B. & W. Warfield, Fayette County 8,005
Fortunatus 1554, roan bull calf, bred by F. H. Fawkes ; sired
by Lord Muxiuis (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 Sd Duke of York (9047)— S. Goff, Clark County. 2,500
Senator 2d (19687) , 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 8d (14150), roan yearling, bred by Mason Hopper;
sired by Belleville (6778)— G.W. Sutton, Fayette County 1,500
Fusileer (11499), roan two-yearold, bred by T. Bell; sired
by Grand Duke (10284)— R. W. Scott, Franklin County. . 1,400
Yorkshire Maynard (14048), roan yearling, bred by A. L.
Maynard; sired by Lord George (10448)— Robert S. Tay-
lor; Clark County 1,000
cows AND HEIFBBS.
Mazurka, red-roan yearling, bred by W. Smith, sired by the
Booth bull Harbinger (10297), in calf to Orontes 2d— R.
A. Alexander, Woodford County $8,050
Maid of Melrose, roan yearling, bred by F. H. Fawkes, sired
by Lord Maixiuis (10159)— R. A. Alexander 2,200
Goodness, red, calved in 1847 ; bred by Mr. Hall, legatee of
Earl Spencer; sired by Orontes (4628)— G. W. Sutton. . . 2,025
Lady Carolinei 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. lie W. Warfield,
Fayette County 1,100
Orphan Nell, roan yearling, bred by J. S. Tanqueray, sired
by Ruby (10760) ; dam of the Gwynne family— J. A. Gano,
Bourbon County 1,000
Equity, red yearling, bred by John Booth, sired by Lord
George (10439)— R. A. Alexander, Woodford County 1,000
256 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
Roan Duchess, roan three-year-old, bred by Mr. Wetherell,
sired by Whittington (125899)— W. H. Brand, Fayette
County 900
Duchess of Sutherland, red two-year-old, bred by H. Ambler,
sired by Captain Edwards (8939)— 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
(9768)— W. A. Smith, Scott County 585
10 bulls sold for 129,305; an average of 12,990.50
15 females sold for 19,230; an average of 1,282.00
26 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 bull's 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 CATTLB.
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 OP 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.) ABBOciation. — 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 descendants. Another
cow to which some of our American pedigrees
260 A HISTORY OF 8H0RT-H0RN OATTLE.
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 $3,7(X) 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 Yearns Day (13383), sold at this sale as a roan yearling,
was bred by Lee Norman and sired by Magrnet (11765) out of Moas
Rose by Killerby (7123). He was bought by C. M. Clark of Clark
County for ^'i,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 Yearns 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
tamous 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 tbat
acquired celebrity in the show-ring.
Medalist (1S3S4), a white yearling bull, was, we believe, the first
representative of William Terr'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 895, a roan yearling got by Baron Warlaby (7818), 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 207-- 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 (7818). 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 snooess at
the Ohio fairs and produced several good calves, including De-
lightful already mentioned.
Roman 18th, a roan cow bred by Mr. Wilkinson and sired by
Will Honeycomb (6660) , possessed grea.t scale and commanded the
next highest price— $1, COO— 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. B^wkes 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
reflnement 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 flrst selection made
from that fine old herd for America.
Lavender 8d 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 8d 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 1900.
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
0U8 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.
£. 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. Thorne 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, Woodford
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 OP SHOET-HORN CATTLB.
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.* 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
• Woodbum Farm afterward became quite as noted for Its rare collec-
tion of Thoroughbred and trotting horses as for Its Short-horns. It waB
lh<' ho-no of the great four-mile racer Lexington, and In later years, after
the property ha^l passtnl Into the hands of A. J. Alexander, the farm, under
tlie ni.'in.iffement of Mr. Lucas Brodhead, achlev«?d world-wide fame as a
nupHitry of great performers on lh<' trotting turf. Jersey cattle and Ctote-
wold and Southdown sheep were also bred.
SECOND PERIOD OF 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-
homa 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 ofl
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 inoori)orated 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 Duches?
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
far 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 foundatfon 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.
SubBequent shipments to Woodbum 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 Hhould not be confused with Norfolk (3877), that has been
eo frequently nieniloncd. Ho was not only the sire of Mr. Alexander's
Lord John but of the Kreat roan cow Ducheas, imported by the Clinton Ca
(O.) Co. in 1854. that was flrst-prlzo 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 AprilMorn,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 Stew^art's (of Southwick) 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 Southwick (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 Bays: " I came home
aoroBB the Atlantic with Mr. R. A. Alexander In 1858 just before he made
his first imix>rtatlon of bloodtnl stock. He and I were the only two South-
ern men on bounl, ;iml although I waH then only nineteen years old a friend-
ship Hpraug* up between us which continued to the end of his life. I con-
sider tliat he was the irreatest benefactor the blooded-stock interest has
ever had in America."
SECOND PERIOD OB^ ACTIVITY. 271
imported the bull Duke of Cambridge 447.
They had many years previously bought, iu
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 Abram 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 1251, 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 a^i^onts were Messrs. Al-
exander R. Marshall and Henry Smoot, the
importation being lauded at Philadelphia in
272 A HI8T0BT 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. T.) 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. K. 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 importar
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 II. 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 Aconib 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 1S57 the roan yearling
Bates Oxford bull Grand Duke of Oxford (16184),
bred by Capt. Gunter from Oxford 11th; the red
*We h:ivo neirlecteU to list In its i>roi>or onler the Importation of the
red-:ind-whlto cow Lucy, by Yoiinir North Star (2381), brougrhi Into Not»
York in ISK» by ii ('apt. Sproul. Thia cow was bought by J. S» Berrymau of
Fayette Co., Ky., In 1S38.
SECOND PERIOD OP ACTIVITY. 275
yearling Grand Duke 2d (14640), rt//fi5 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 gtre 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 (3929) — the progeny being the
roan bull Grazier 4041 — and heifer Strawberry,
by Eryx.
In the year 1853 Dr. A. C. Stevenson of Green-
castle, Ind., imported four heifers and two young
bulls, as follows: Bloom, red-and-white, and
Violet, roan, both bred by John Emerson and
both 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 w^ho 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. II. C. Johns
and H. Jacoby were selected to act as his assist-
278 A HISTORY OP 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 tltle-pa^e of which reads, "Cataloirue of Pure-Blooded Short-
Horned Cattle, also Horses, Sheop and Ho^h. owned by the Illinoislmport-
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 Kins Alfred, to be mentioned. The
swine consisted of Berksblres from the herds of E. Bowly of Siddln^ton,
Hewer of Hlghworth and others, and of Irish, Cumberland and Yorkshire
pig-s, all purchased In the Emerald lale.
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-honis 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. Crulck-
shank, Sittyton, and the first bull from that afterward
celebrated herd brought to Amorica ; sired by Matadore
(11800)— A. G. Carle, Champaign County $3,500
Admiral 2478, red two-year-old, bred by Lord Talbot of Ire-
land, sired by Ctirisp's Phcenix (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 (S238)— 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 (11748)— Brown, Jacoby & Co., Sangamon
County 1,300
Dnbloon 8838)^, red yearling; bred by J. Topham, Ireland;
sired by Orphan Boy (13429)— W. lies, Sangamon County 1,075
Goldfinder 29205<, roan buU calf, bred by H. Ambler; sired
by Grand Turk (12960) , that was imported by Mr. Thome
—J. C. Bone, Sangamon County 725
Master Lowndes 8140X, roan two-year old, sired by Belle-
rophon (11165)— J. H. Spears, Menard County 725
cows AND HEIFERS.
Rachel 8d, roan two-ye^r-old, bred by S. E. Dolden : sired by
l>ake of Bolton (12738), a Bates-topped Booth buii; 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 HopeweU (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 (9968)— Henry Jacoby 1,T25
Western Lady, roan two-year-old, bred by H. Ambler, sired
by Grand Turk (12909)*; dam Wlseton Lady by Humber
(7102), running through Earl Spencer's herd to a Mason
foundation — Capt. James N. Brown 1,825
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 (5018) ; buUed by Lord SackvUle (13249)— J. H.
Jacoby, Sangamon County 1,300
Fama, r^-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 1,060
Pomegranate, roan yearling, bred by Rev. T. Cator, sired by
Master Charley (1SS12) ; 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 foui>year-old, bred by K Bowly, sired by Snow-
storm (12119) —Mr. Bonnman, St. Clair County 925
Perfection, red yearling, bred by A. Cruickshank, sired by
The Baron (18883), 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 Dy
Lord Spencer (18251 ) — 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 yearlinfj, bred by Jonas Webb, sired by Young
Scotland (l8881)-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 ImmenHe size, and for a blir one qiiUeas
smoothly put together an could be expected. He was imported to Mew
York by the Thornea. See pagre 241.
SECOND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 281
Cassandra 2d, roan two-year-old, bred by Rev. T. Cator;
sired by Master Charley (13312) , traclDfi: to the Booth
oow Medora by Ambo— H. Owsley, 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. Clair
County 675
Coquette, roan yearling, bred by E. Bowly, sired by Econo-
mist (11425)— George Barnett, Will County 550
Lily, white two-year-old, bred by E. Bowly, sired by Snow-
storm (12119)— George Barnett 550
Caroline, roan four-year-old, bred by Lowndes, sired by Ar-
row (W06)— 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 110,880; an average of 11,554
20> females sold for 20,575 ; an average of 1,028
27 animals sold for 81,455 ; 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 Co/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 wiis 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 accoun^t of the breeding
of their cattle, or handled their records so loose-
ly as to render them of little value.
Itwas indeed anappallingtaskthatconfronted
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 were 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 Easteni import-
284 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLB.
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 l)red in that
State. The results of this committee's investi-
gations were not published, but supplied a basis
for further research.
When Mr. Allen undei-took 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 as Edwin G., Benjamin C.
and George M. Bedford; Dr. 11. J. Breckenridge,
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, Abram and James Renick, the Shakei^s,
the Shropshires, the Vanmeters, Warfields and
others. From Ohio came the pedigrees of the
•This total includes stock recorded as produce under dams.
BECONL 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; Jauies
FuUington, 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. SuUivant, 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
Wentwoiiih of Chicago; Capt. James N. Brown
and James D. Smith of Sangamon Co., 111.;
George Barnett of Will Co., HI., and Gen. Sol
Meredith of Cambridge City, Ind. The East
contributed largely from such herds as those of
Samuel Thorne, S. T. Taber, S. P. 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.
"^S4->ir
'^%?T^t.
CHAPTER XL
SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK.
Thus far our stoiy 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 impoi-tations 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-
(2S7)
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 Wharf dale went for $755.
For imp. Mary Ann and calf Richard Jackson
and B. P. Grey paid $2,100. Evidently the
home-bred stock was as good as the imported.
This fact is also proved by the show-yard rec-
ords of that period.* It is apparent from the
ratings in these competitions that the "Seven-
teens'' were of good form and chai-acter, and
that the Kentucky breeders had kept pace up
to the time of the Ohio Co.'s operations with
the work of their brother-breeders in Britain.
•At the fair at Lezinirton, September, 1884, the Judaea— H. Clay, Jamea
Benlok, Jaeob HivheB, Isaac Vanmeter and W. P. Hume-eertalnly very
competent men— «aaiffned the pricea as follows : A^ed bulla— **Seventeen8"
both flrat and second: two-year-olda— "Seventeens" both first and second;
yearllnirs— "Seyenteena" both first and second; bull calves— first to a "Sot-
enteen,** aeoond to a Patton. A^ed cows— first to Imp. Caroline (by Dash-
wood), second to a Powel cow; two-yearolds— "Seventeens** both first and
second; yearlings— "Seyenteens" both first and second; calYee— ''Seven-
teens" first. Dun importation second. In 1886 about the same result was
recorded. The old stock won seven first prises and six second prises, the
newly-imported stock one first prise and two seconds. Coming down to
1889, at the Lexington Fair that year the flrstrprlze aged bull came from the
Smith and Dun importation; two-year-old, from the Ohio Oa*s; yearlinr,
from Dun's; calf, Ohio Co.'s: two-year-old heifer, Ohio Oo.'s; yearllnff,
''Seventeen"; cow calf, "Seventeen." In 1810: Aped boll, 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-oM,
Letton's;* yearlings, H. Clay*; aged cows, **Seventeen**; two-yearold, Ohio
Co.; yearling, L^tton's: calf, Ohio Co.
SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 289
Such bulls as Mr. Sutton's Frederick 575, Capt
Warfield'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
followei-s had inoculated some of the American
buyers with the idea of a select Short-horn ar-
istocracy based upon tho "only bloods at all
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 CATTLR.
•
Grand Dukes and the Morris & Becar cattle,
had attracted very geneiul 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 Abi-am
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
aaction 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 t)uke of Airdrie was perhaps not
the equal of his 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 vlaittMi Kentucky to see
amonjr other not«Hl antnials tht? ?4,8:jO bull imp. Challenger (14252). of Ducle's
breedluer, a Bon of the 4th Duke of York (10167), owned by the Vaziineterfl
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 Cunnlngbam. The General was perhaps the tallest breeder of Short-
horns north of the Ohio River at this time. On vlslUuf the stalls the own-
ers were not present, but the herdsman led out Challenger for the biff
** Booster's " examination. While thus engaged one of the Vanmeters, who
himself was tterhaps over six feet tall, came up and iMttiently waiting till
the General was through and had ordered the bull back to his stall ap-
proached and said: *'\Vell, stranger, you have given him a close look:
what do you think of him? '* The General had admired the bull in many of
bis 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 Indianlan, said : " Well, sir. I think you arc the last man on
the ground that should find that obJcH^tton to the bull."
* At this same sale Hon. B J Clay and Mr Hutchcraft paid 11.830 for the
bull Exception (374ft), which Mr Bc.-dford connidcred the best "Stiventeen"
he ever saw. Indeed, upon being ankcd in his later years how Exception
would compare with the best Short-horns of the pi-esent. he answerttd;
"Well, sir, J 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 llIuBtration of King Cyrus, which appears at
pare 166, Vol. II. of the Amerlcau 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 legH 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 " Bquare<l " himself as best he could by
having the herdsman's flirure obliterated. He drew no more pictures, how-
ever, for George M. BedfoiHi.
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 $1,0(X). He
was so delighted with the Duke of Airdrie's get
that he afterward purchased from Mr. Alexan-
der the first bull calf sired by the Duke at
Woodburn — Bell Duke of Airdrie 2552, out of
Lady Bell by 2d Duke of Athol. Bell Duke of
Airdrie had a remarkable career in the show-
ring, winning, among other notable prizes, the
296 A HISTORY OF SHOET-i;OEN CATTLE.
$1,000 sweepstake at EX }k)tac in 1858 and the
championship at same show in I860. 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 '*Seventeens" and found fault with the
breeding of some of the Louans. At the same
time his own cattle of that family had the
cross of Dun's imp. Red Kose by Ernesty; whil6
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 JFlora
(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-HOEN 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 Airdrie 2743, dropped by Nannie Wil-
liams in February, 1858, to a service by imp.
Duke of Airdrie, proved a first-class show bull,
winning a championship as a two-year-old at
the Bourbon County Fair in 1860. He was 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 Loudon Duchess 2d.
Abram Senick and Airdrie 2478. — None
profited more largely by the services of imp.
Duke of Airdrie than Mr. Abram Renickp 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 hils Rose of Sharon tribe.
Abram Renick, who was of the same family
as the Ohi# 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. Harrtet,
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 son,
Paragon of the West (4G49). Thames had been
bred in 1845 and 1846 to Prince Charies 2d 861,
tracing to imp. Blossom by Fitz Favorite (1042).
300 A HISTORY OF SHOKT-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 1849, 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 lbs. at full
maturity. He was repeatedly shown by Mr.
Renick, but was never made fat enough to
weigh more than 2,1(X) lbs., although he could
have been made to carry 2,200 lbs. in excess-
ively high flesh. He was very symmetrical in
conformation; smooth, neat and 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 ViatA*8 sire was the grand bull CoBsack. alina JuUub Csesar
(3503). bretl by Mr. Clay and sold to B. Warfleld. Cosaack (3803) was by Cos.
sack (1880), bred by Richard Booth at Studley from the old KlUerby H088
Rose tribe.
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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. Reuick 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 Vanmeter's Dick
Taylor 5508 and Airdrie Duke 5306; both great
hoifer-rjof.tcrs, 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/ac shnile 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 SHORT-HOBN OATTLE.
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 snooesaful price-taker In Kentucky, and also stood
at the head of the 9800 prise herd, composed wholly of Rose of Sharons, at
the Ohio State Fair of 1870. He was the sire— amonir other hl^h-prloed cat>
tie— of the heifer Duchess 10th, sold In 1872 to Earl Dunmore at 16,000. He
represented a double cross of Imp. Duke of Aln^le, havlnff heen sired hy
Airdrie 2478 out of Cordelia by Dandy Duke 209L The latter was a red-roan
bull Mr. Renick had secured by breeding Basterday Ulaxight&t Of Poppg^)
Ii7 Pilot Of, to Imp. Duke of Airdrie <mao>
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 AirdriOf 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, women and children— and it was wonderful to observe the
singular uniformity and great excellence of the cattle as they
walked past to a comer of the field where they stood to be milked.
The heifers, mostly by Airdrle, 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 jouu^ bulls were of great prom-
ise. Seeing how very superior this hprd 'was and how closely it
was in-and-in bred I was induced to ask Mr. Renick how he came
to take sucA a course. He told me he took up the herd books and
saw what Ck>lling, Mason and other early breeders had done, and
he thought he would do the same thing; his neighbors thought he
would tain 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 SHOET-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 Hose of Sharons, thus, reunit-
ing the Bates lines, proved in this case a suc-
• Visitors at shows where Mr. Renick was exblbltinfir his cattle were
very apt to find him feedini? 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 rlnsr and never came out without a ribbon,
usually a blue one. In some classes ho 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 became
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 an an insult. Then he suspected us of playing a J«ke
on him. Taylor finally told him that he considered the bull nearly worn
out, but was satisfied that his Ohio friend would give $1,000 for him. Th«
old man then straightened himself up two or three inches above his noi*
mal height and with his list tightly closed and eyes flashing exclaimed:
" A natUnuU bank can't 2mv html It I outlive him he will die mine."
SOMB HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 305
cessful operation; a fine illustration being seen
in the case of the celebrated pair of "Genevas,"
Minnie's Duchesi^ 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 Vanmeten. — 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 Renick 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
•3d Duke of Geneva 5663 was bred by J. O. Sheldon and bought by Edwin
Bedford, w hone succeaa with the Loudon Duchossoa. etc., R:ive him rank
hmong the leadin^r Kentucky breeders of his time. The 2d Duke died
younff. leaving a limited number of calvea, but they were aa a rule excep-
tionally good.
306 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLB.
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 1S42. maklnir the sons of his daughter, Mra.
Solomon Vanmeter. executors of a good estate. Mr. Isaac Vanmeter died In
1864. leaving his son, Ben F. Vanmeter, then but twenty-one years of age,
sole executor of an estate quite as large as that left by Capk Cunningham.
Mr. Ben F. Vanmeter's elder brother. Solomon, who died at forty years of
age, provcxl himself also a most capable breeder and when the Northern
Kentucky Importing Co. was organized in 1853 he was selected as Clark
County's ropreHontative upon the committee sent to England to buy the
cattle constituting that mnmorable purchase. Ben F. Vanmeter was a
mere lad at tliiH date attending collrgo 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 committoo. Hn was iriven the
cholco of either (TOinrr or remalnlnfT and Kradiiallni? that nprlnfr. Without
bealtatlon he abandonctl liiH aftplratlonM In reffnMicf! to a diploma nnd
Accompantfd his brolhor nt>on a tour of the Short-horn lui*dH of Great
Britain. In later years ho attained l:U;>rnation:vl r(>putallon npt only an a
breedor of hljrh-clasH cattle of ilw Vaniri<'ter trilx-M, but iilwo In fonn«'Ctlon
With the notable operations of Abram Uonicli with the Rose of Sharoua.
308 A HISTORY OF BHOET-HOEN 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-
cell'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 dam 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 Vanmeter, and was one of the great
heifer-getters of Kentucky in the later sixties.
Like Dick Taylor, he made a pronounced "hit"
when mated with the Marys. His greatest
daughter was probably Ben F. Vanmeter's 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. 811
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 (3086) was taken to Kentucky In 1836 and was success-
fully used for many years, largely in Clark and Fayette Counties, althonrh
he died the property of Joel Scott in Franklin County. Few better sires
were known at that time. Be was a lar^e, rich roan, li^ht-bodled and som»
what le^fry, high-styled and Impressive.
SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 813
son, I. C. Vanmeter, who sold her after a few
years to George W. Sutton of Fayette County.
The records do not reveal further facts of
interest concern! ng 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 jBisters 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
J4 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 ribSons; 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
11th, 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 11th encountered one of the
greatest cow combinations Kentucky had ever
seen, meeting Mr. Renick's pets, "Little" and
"Big" Genevas, two of Edwin G. Bedfoi-d'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 rot by Vanmeter, Dun-
can k Cunnln«rham'8 imported 14,850 bull Challenger (14362) from the Im*
ported cow Gem by Earl Ducle'a Broker (9093), irot by Usurer (9T68). Pearrs
rrandam was Gulnare, by Whl taker's Norfolk (2877), and his g-reat-^andam
was the Booth-bred Medora by Ambo (ItfS6).
80MB HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 315
don Duchesses, besides one of the best of that
family ever produced by Mr. Warfieldj^and
three or four imported cows. In the cow class
Red Rose 11th won, but in the sweepstakes
Red Rose 8th gained the prize.* She was af-
terward champion Short- horn cow at the Phila^
delphia Centennialand subsequently sold to the
Grooms for $1,750 and exported to England.
Her companion at this show, Red Rose 11th,
sold to Mr. Fox of England at $2,325 was the
only cow that ever defeated Red Rose 8th. Mr.
Vanmeter, however, never considered her so
good. This cow was the dam of the famous
roan Young Mary steer that was the champion
four-year-old bullock at the first American Fat-
Stock Show at Chicago; a beast that weighed
2,440 lbs. and sold to the late John B. Drake of
the Grand Pacific Hotel for $150 for Christmas
beef. An own brother to Red Rose 8th and
11th, the bull Rosy Man 27764, was also a prize-
winner at 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 liblwii was tied on Red Rose 8th Mr Vanmeter asked Mr.
Senlck what he thonyht of it The old man was very slow In making his
reply, but finally said: >*I reckon It is all rlpht. She is a devil of a i^ood
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. Alexr
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 Warflelds.— 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 **8eventeenB ** were brougrht by Col. Sanders to Fayette, and Mrs
Motte and the Teeswater Cow were retained there, the property of Messrs
Ifunday and Haerfrln, respectively. The Durham Cow was taken by the
Importer to Gallatin County. See pa^e 173.
818 A HISTORY OP 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 bull 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 OoL John Hare
PoweVs breedlnir or Importation were taken to Kentucky— largely between
1831 and 18Stf. While Oliver (2387) was undoubtedly the best of these Powel
bulls, the outstandlnfir cow acquired by Kentucky from the Poweltoa WiirtI
was the Booth-bred Isabella, by Pilot (see pa^ 185). 3b» wiwubably the
most celebrated cow of her day in the Ohio Valley flbtes, and at the sale
of her produce by her owner. Mr Suttoo oC V^yette County, Sept. S6, 1837,
her Bon Frederick 515 sold to Buford A Scott of Franklin County forlMlO;
her heifer Western Daisy went to Joel Scott at 1745: heifer White Rose to
James Shelby of Fayette Covrofy at |7:{5. and bull Cyrus to B. S. Waahlnrton
of Fayette County at |8IA Another dauf?hter of Cleopatra, Sally Jackson,
was sold privately to J. S. Berryman A, Co. for t3,0001
BOMS HI8T0BI0 KENTUCKY STOCK. 319
ontof a daughter of imp. Josephine, was bought
by Capt. Warfield as a six-mor\ths 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; provinsr a auccesBful prize-winner at
the Ohio fairs. She produced In 1838 a roan cow calf named Nonpareil, by
Comet Halley (M35). In 1839— bull calf Hubback, by Paraxon of the West
(4649). In 1840-bull calf Tippecanoe, by Rover (5015). In 1841— cow calf
Lady Harrison, red-and*white, by Rover (6015). She then produced twin
bull calves, neither of which lived to bo useful, after which she ceased
hreedlnr— was fatted and slausrhtered. 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.
820 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 f i-om 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 lbs., 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 CheiTy 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 Warfield's Princess and
Mr. Kinnaird's Pearl.
MuBcatoon 7067.— This celebrated sire of
prize cattle in the herd of Mr. William Warfield
of Grasmere 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-
em 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,
SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 323
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
324 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, weigh-
ing 1,700 lbs. off grass. The development of
Loudon Duke and of Anna Hunt demonstrated
that the cross with the fine but rather "rangy"
imp. Duke of Airdrie was a success, and she was
again sent to be served at Woodbum. 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 Uth) 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. Warfield'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 11th 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
80MB 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 Loudon Duchesses by imp.
Duke of Airdrie were more valuable than the
descendants of Mr. Warfield's Loudon Duchess
2d. The absurdity of this contention is clearly
shown by the fact that, judged by the stringent
requirements of the show-yard, Mr. Warfield's
Loudon Duchesses were even better individuals
than those bred by Mr. Bedford. While 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 HISTORY 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
80MB HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 329
traditions of the breed, and has up to the end of
the present century consistently advocated the
breeding of Short-horns for individual excel-
lence from the best sources regardless of 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.
Breckenridge and left much valuable stock.
The Duke of Airdrie heifers at Woodburn, as
elsewhere, proved very valuable as breeders.
From one of these, Minna 2d — a daughter of
imp. Minna by Bridegroom — Mr. Alexander
bred the celebrated show bull Minister 6363,
«William Warfield 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'» Qazette and other agrri-
ciiltnral Jonmals and the author of "A History of Imported Short-horns "
and of *' Cattle-Breedinsr "—published by the Sanders Pub. Co., ChlcajfO— 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 m tiie
United SUtes.
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 eveiy 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 w^ere 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 was 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, lud. 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 roans'' 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 Pkrk, 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 Capi
Bfown 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 THB OBNTRAL 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
J 00 head of high-grade Short-horn steers that
336 A HISTORY OF SHOBT-HOEN CATTLE.
were marketed at an average weight of 1,965
lbs. — 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 lbs. 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
HIinois 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-helium 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. 6. 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. Biggs, 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 bullst made in 1853. He had been inter-
ested in Short-horn cattle for some years prior
to that date, having used the Ruby 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 faftn adjoining Cambridge City, in Wayne
County, in 1851, was one of the most prominent
PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 339
of tbe 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., ill 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 Thornburgof 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; Ell 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
PBOOBESS 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 not the first instance on record where one
who "came to scoflf 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 hy N. A. Clapp before the Michigan State Short-horn Breeders'
▲sBoclatlon, 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 Qf 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
PBOOBESS 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 Romeo began
bi-eeding from cows descended from the impor-
tsitions 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
346 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE,
purchased females of the Illustrious, Harriet,
Young Mary, Young Phyllis and White Rose
tribeSy as well as the bull J. E. B. Stuart, that
was shown with great success. Other Michigan
breeders recording in Vol. V 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 P. 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, p.nd 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-homs west of the MiBBiBBippi. —
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 LadyPaley 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 Boone ville 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
848 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 Cas-
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; R S. Wilson, Boone ville; W, D. Mc-
Donald, Gallatin; D. K. Pitman, St. Charles
County, and Messrs, McHatton and Phillips of
St. Louis County. At a little later period
Messrs. H. V. P. Block of Pike County, Richard
and William 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 StQck 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 mfen-
tioned a white bull called Rocket. At the first
PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 349
Iowa State Fair, which was held at Fairfield 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. Warfleld 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 yeara 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. 6. 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 Rebellion, the Day
herd became one of the most prominent in
I
PROGRESS IN THB 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 rkte
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 Dashwood, 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.
temesia 3d, whose bull calf of December, 1857
— Champion 2615 — was sold to William Briden
of Bremer County. Mr. Melendy seems to have
first used the bull Young Colonel 3584, bred by
John G. Dun of Ohio. He sold an Artemesia
heifer, calved in 1858, to George Clark of Cedar
Falls. Among the other ownera of Short-horns
in Iowa in the "fifties" were John Patterson of
Burlington; B. N. Moore of Van Buren County;
George GrifiEen 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 maklnfir np this Catholic oriranizatlon came orlglnalljr
from Ireland In 1831; eatabllBhlnfr upon the fertile body of land secured in
DubuQue County what 1b known aa New Melleray Abbey.
PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 353
from John P. Henderson of Morgan Co., HI. 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,
Marquette 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 a devoted admirer of improved
tarm stock, and secured his first Short-horns
B54 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 com 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 B. Duncan and Minister 6363.—
Mr. William R. Duncan, a Kentuckian who re-
moved to McLean Co., Ill, 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 WHey dam. This bull
subsequently became the property of J. B. Ry-
burn of Bloomington. Mr. Duncan is chiefly
distinguished, however, in connection with
Western Short-horn history by reason of his
exhibition of the show bull Minister 6363, bred
356 A HISTORY OF SHOBT-HORN OATTLB.
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 Fameley 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 Vanmeter Red
Rose- Young Mary dam and sold at auction in
1874 for $1,000. Minister was also the sire of
the roan Miss Leslie, a Young Mary that sold
at Col. King's Dexter Park sale in 1874 along
with her daughter by Gen. Napier for $4,020 to
the late C. A. 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
•Loixl Derby was sired by Albion 24S2, a white bull by Imp. Grand Turk
(12969)— a Bateft-crossod Booth. Albion's dam was imp. Frances Fairfax,
bred by Mr. Ambler and a half-sister to Mr. CrulcksbanlL'B noted stock knill
Lord Racrlan, by Croaade (7V3B}.
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 Parle Herd of J.imes N. Brown A Sons hart never failed to
get the herd prize at the IlUnolB State Fair after the herd competition wan
InauflTurated until 1867 at Quincy. At that fair J. H. Plckrell'B herd was
awarded the first prize both for agoA animals and for younir herd. Mr.
Hill, who died on the grounds at tlio close of that show, won the second
prizes on both herds. Hill had always said that he would just like to live
longr enough to beat Capt Brown's herd, so that he really accomplished his
object. He was sick wheii 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 CATTLX.
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. Weiitworth'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 sei-vice 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 bom 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 , 1869, 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 mo 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 Warfleld
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
ladles 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-
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 inyitation 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. Vin, p. 838), 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 neyer 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. Pickrell's 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, aftenvard 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 choiceof 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. PickrelFs 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 Shortrhom Mr. Piekrell purchased for breedinc purposes
was Iiord HUrhland 4113, which canie to the fann in August, 1800. In Janu
ary, 1061, he brouflrht from Kentucky Duke of Rockland 278& and three younf
hulls and seven cows and heifers. They were good ones of "Seventeen"
extraction. The next addition to the herd was in June, 1808, when pur-
chases were made in Kentucky from William Warfleld, the late James Ball
and Maj. Duncan. In 1004 stock was bought from the herd of Capt. James
N. Brown and James M. Hill of Illinois. In 1866 came Sweepstakes 0280 and
the Phyllis cow Kate Lewis, of Ben V. Vanmeter's breedinr— a cow that
was good enough to win first prise 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. Piekrell 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
^ve, 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 8S,000 (the first animal bred in IlUnois 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. Vin, page 616), 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,
0600. 0400 and OSSO. 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 1806 was made from Israel Pierce, whose stock
came from the Messrs. Dun of Madison Co., O. This purchase was followed
the next ypar by otliera from MesHrs. John G. and W. D. Dun, seven from
B.C. Bedford of Paris (Ky.) aud five from the adiniiiistrator'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. IL HiU, held in Korember of that year. In 1888 Hannibal 8888 was
iwarehaacd. Imi>. Duke of Alrdiie (17TJ0) waa hia ^randaire, greatrirrandaira
and rreatrgTeaHrrandalre.
In December, 1888, Baron Booth of Lancaater 7585 and Prairie Blosaom,
Vol. IZt pac« 879 (from the herd of J. O. Sheldon, Geneva, N. Y.). were
added. In 1808 aome cowa were purchaaed from Thomaa Warfleld of
Macon Co.. 111. In the lot waa the mother of Lord Highland 4113. Her flrat
calf after coming 1. >the herd waa Daisy Booth, by Baron Booth of Lan-
caater, that Bold for ii.810 aa a yearling. In this purchaae alao waa Bride
Uth (Vol. X, page 621), that produced Lady Bride, that aold at public auction
for 0,860. and afterward won every prise she showed for. Another noted
cow that came about that time was Lady Fairy ISth, from Mr. Warfleld a
herd, and Princess Royal 5th, from B. J. Clay's herd. One or two animals
were added in 1870. In 1871 some Lady Elixabeths were bought from T. C.
Stoner, Macon County, who had bought them from the herd of the Meaara.
Hamilton of Kentucky. In this lot was a calf. Maggie Ellen (Vol. XI, page
B81), by Baron Booth of Lancaster, that was sold to the Government of
Japan for 11,800, 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 ailver spoon, marked " Sangamon Ck>imty 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 prise.
The next year he showed at Macon, Logan and S:ini?amon County (111.)
Fairs. His career at the Illinois State Fair commenced in 1868 and contin-
ued for many years, in the course of which he visited as an exhibitor va-
rioua 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 dn ring the nine years
from the fall of 1888 to the fall of 1874 89.120 in prizes, and it may also be
added that during the first fifteen years he bred Short-horns he received
from other breeders 8S,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 period
of gestation of 100 cows in my herd. The shortest period wan 'I5/i> days and
the longest 298 days (both cow calves), the average being 283 days."
364 A HISTORY OP 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 4826.— 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 hod eneracred David Grant to
take charge of his stock, and that culpable feeder and herdsmau was Identi-
fied with the g-reat triumphs of Mr. Pickrell's show herds most of the time
until 1875, and It is not too much to say that a largo share of the success at-
tained was due to "Davy's " fldellty and good judgment.
George Story was also at Mr. Hill's at the time of the proprietor's de-
cease. His brother WllUam Story came to Mr. Pickrell's in time to fit
Sw(>ep8takes and the Ti.'Ht for the Hhows of 18U7. 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 \)o\» won first prize that year
over the Hill cattle brought into the ring by Grant and George Story.
PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 365
em 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 186Q
to 1867 than any other cow of her day), by
Starlight 2d 2259. It thus appears that Gen.
Grant was the product of mating a son and a
daughter of old imp. Starlight. The youngster
grew to be a 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 lbs. His head was
good — perhaps a little too masculine to fill the
366 A HISTORY or 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-grandsire Mario, a bull that Judge
Jones states never required a nose-ring.
Of the career of Gen. Grant in the show-ring
it is scarcely necessary to speak at length. In
the hands of Mr. McMillan he was exhibited in
Ohio and 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 amuBlnr incident occurred one year when Mr. Spears exhibited
GexL Grant at the head of his herd at the Illlnoia State Fair at Peoria.
He was the oldest and perhapc the largrest hull In the rln^ at the head
of a herd. As the refirularly-appolnted committee failed to respond to the
call the superintendent concluded that he would send in a committee
composed of stranfers to the ezhihitors. As there was a biir show on this
action rather startled the exhibitors. When the "unknowns 'started in
Mr. Byram of Abingdon, 111., who was showinflr his mother's herd, said to
Mr. Spears : " Who's that committee? " Mr. Spears looked a long time, and
not knowing any of them said : " I do not know, but / think they are a tot of
ahoemaker» anC tailon.'' When after examining the herds they brought the
first-prize ribbon to Mr. Spears Air. Byram said: '' What do you think of
them now? " " Well," Hald Spears, " I rookon they thought my bull's hide
would make more shoes than any bull in the rln^."
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.
(Ind.) and Indiana State Fairs; first and sweep-
stakes at same fairs, 1864; first prize and sweep-
stakes at the Ohio State Pair, 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 T)f Mr. McMillan Gen. Grant
proved a most valuable sire, two of his get,
Mignonette and Wenona, bringing respectively
$3,800 and $3,000 at his great sale soon to be
mentioned. As to what he did in Illinois we
can do no better than to quote the language of
Mr. Spears: "He was a sure and good server,
and, allow me to say, the best and most uni-
form breeder I ever saw or ever expect to see.
368 A HISTORY OF BHORT-HORN OATTLK.
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 Bly 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. Jamea W. Judy of TallulA, 111., the veteran auctioneer who made
this Bale, 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 irand
family of cattle— ffood feeders, rood milkers and very prolific and almost
invariably good colors and very uniform In their ^neral make-up, which
was very neat, and I think many of their sterlinff 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 ball, and
was a very uniform and regular breeder, and was a great factor In spread-
in? the fame of the Spcara Nelly Blys— in fact did more for the reputation
of Mr. Spears* herd of Short-horn» than any bull he ever owned, the Hat
Duke of Airdrie not excepted."
PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 369
that during a whole fall 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 was
triumphant with Gen. Grant. The desire to
gain honors in the show- ring now asserted itself
actively throughout the West. Leaders in the
trade sought in 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 Seattle, selected
370 A HISTORY 09 8B0BT-HOBN 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 Rosedale 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 Bralthwalte Hall, York-
Bhire. Ho was erot by Prince George (13610) out of Vesper by Klnff Arthur
(13110), and was bought by Mr. Barclay when a two-year-old for 11,000. He
was the sire, among other noted animals, of the 16,000 bull imp. Cherub;
Star of Bralthwalte; the great show heifer Booth's Lancaater, Booth's
Seraphina,' and the bull Knight of Warlaby, used by Hessrs. Hunter la
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 bouflrht a yearling heifer on this aame trip out of Rosedale by
a Duke bull, concerning which ' WllUc " Miller says: " The aire was em-
phatically bad and impreuive. I believe the heifer never bred, which waa
juat aa 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 lbs.; April 28, 1,730 lbs.; June
16, 1,810 lbs.; Aug. 31, 1,965 lbs.; Feb. 22, 1870,
2,170 lbs.; July 1, 1870, 2,290 lbs.; Sept. 2, 2,400
lbs., and at full maturity 2,600 lbs. He at once
took and held a commanding position in the
show-ring, and was never beaten, as a sire
shown with his progeny. It must be 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, v/as 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 suflBcient
to stamp Baron Booth of Lancaster as the
PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 873
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 the $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 OP 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 Uth 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 11th 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, HI., in IflTO, where IfiOO
was offered for the best display of not less than ten nor more than twenty
head. He had Baron Booth of Lancaster at one end of a string of eighteen
head of nice cows and heifers and at the other end of the line had the
Baron's best son, Baron Iiewis. Mr. Dunlap of Jacksonville showed ten
head and was awarded first prize. The relative values of the oompetinc
lots may he Judgred from the fact that Mr. Dunlap made a sale the followinr
year at which his ten prize-winners brouirht a total of t2,700 and were con-
sidered well sold at that. Mr. Pickrell sold Baron Lewis alone tor IMOO
and bad 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, Vanmeter 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-
(877)
378 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLB.
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. Gunter 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 OlbBon says: "This was my flrai
Royal, and the Impression left upon my mind by 5th Duke of Oxford has
never been obliterated. He was larsre and carried lots of flesh. The way
he moved and the air of coiibcIo us superiority he assumed I have never
forgotten."
%
THE BIRTH OP A "bOOM." 379
Duchess 78th — twinned with Duchess 79th,
thac was placed fourth in same class; Richard
Booth's Soldier's Bride being 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
pei^sistently 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-
880 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 Taluable,
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 fiesh, 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 OP 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. Thome 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
vei-y 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 Ithaea, 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 Kirkleyington from C. W. Harvey. He
maintained a herd of Shortrhorns f or a number of years; the pedigrees of
most of which may be foimd in Vols. VHI to XVI of the herd book.
Among other Bastem breeders who were becoming prominent in Short-
horn breeding about this time were Messrs. A. B. Conger, T. lu Harison,
George Butts and Messrs. Wadsworth of New York: Messrs. Wlnslow and
A. W. Grlswold of Vermont; Augustus Whitman of Massachusetts and B.
Sumner 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
Ladykirk. 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 oif 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 OP A "BOOM" 883
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 luDch greeted the congress of about 120 lead-
ing Short-hom men— peers, M. P.s, clergymen and laymen— who
attende'l to sec the great battle at Willis' rooms over the eighteen
THE BIRTH OF A "BOOM." 385
Grand Dukes and Duchesses. Lord Feversham was in the chair,
supported by Gen. Hood (who came, like several other members
of Council, direct from Hanover Square) , and the Bates men made
up a most imposing array, while I4r. Torr and Mr. Thomas Booth
were at the head of the greaX 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 Gmnd 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 thera 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
blase 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.
Mcintosh 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 Thomdale
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 OP A "bOOM." 387
Baron Oxford 2d went to Mr. Holland at the
same price.
Sheldon of Oeneya. — 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 Thorne, 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
888 A HISTORY OP 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.
Oeneya 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 OP 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 Thomdale was
very much out of condition and was bought in
by Edwin Thorne at 185 guineas,* but the roan
3d Duke of Geneva went t^ Mr. Mcintosh 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 News 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 amius
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 11th Duchess of Geneva, the yearling
• 12th Duke of Thomdale afterward became the property of D. R. Dayles
of Here Old HalL
t London Punch took up the affair and dror'ied into verse under the
caption, "The Golden Short-horns."
390 A HISTORY OP 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 natumlly 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 OP A "bOOM." 391
had a double cross of Belleville (6778) and were
superior specimens. Mr. Campbell bought
Hungerford's interest and eventually acquired
Brodie's.
Richard Gibson was employed as manager of
the farm and cattle, and speaking of the trans-
action just mentioned says:
*'B7 this deal Mr. Campbell became possessed of Sbort-borns,
for which he had do 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 spinl
** 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 pcsition with Short-horns as we
392 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
h-ive done with Aynbires? Remember, J 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 tlie 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 bkwd. This
was in 1869 ; and theerents that followed may
best be underafcood 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 bom in Enirland in 1840, almost beneath the shadow
of Belvoir Castle, the seat of the Duke of Rutland. Educated at the g^ram-
mar schools of Derby and Lincoln he entered a ^rain merchant's ofOce for
a period of two years, after which he studied closely for four years the
farniioK methods of his father, who had grained various prizes for the best
cultivated farm in Derbyshire. Speaklnir of his early life Mr. Gibson says:
" My father always kept a pure-bred bulL The first I remember was a son
of Eai-l of Dublin, the white Princess bull us«d by Sir C. Knl^htley ; and the
first noti d 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 Colling'
sale, and a member of the Dishley Club. The old men talked of Lancaster
and Comet, and the yams when shearincr sheep, etc., fell on ears whose
senflitive orfranism was receptive to the quaint laniruaere and enthusiasm
of tht! |ilit<»rate btjt observant herdsman.** One of a family of fourteen chll-
dreu and the eldest of eight sous he determined upon arriving a^the 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 bis f ortuneln America. He landed at Quetec in 1881 and
for two years foUowlnir worked at farming In Ontario, after whl6h he re-
ceived an apDointment as manairer for Mr. Delamater, a shipbuilder of Kew
York, who owned a l,GO(Kacre farm on Lonir Island. After two years' serv-
ice in this capacity he was employed by Mr. Campbell to managre the farms
at New York Mills. He retained this responsible position until about one
year prior to the ^reat closlnir-out sale of the herd, subsequently engSLging
in Canada In the importinir and exporting trade on his own account, and
afterward parchasln? 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 croesed the Atlan
tic more than thirty 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 diffei^
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. t4ike 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 reuonUur 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. Oibson 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 BnddJngton 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. Aiton
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 11th Duke of Thorndale. This
shipment is notable not only for the purchase
of the Duchess heifer at a startling price but as
having included the roan bulls 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 1808.
He had refused In 1865 an offer from Mr. Betts of 1,000 guineas for Duchesa
8Mb 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 waa a lar^e bull of great scale
and weight, but not what I would call a very fine bull, neither was he a
uniform breeder. Hla calvea— Bertha (VoL XV, page 447), Loudon Duchess
dth (Vol. XI. page 888), 3d Gem of Grasmere (Vol. XXI, page 6537), 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, MaryvlUe, Mo." Another
fine daughter of this bull, bred by Mr. Warfield, was Lucy Napier, bought
■nd shown \jiy J. H. Plckrell.
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 wQuld 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 Vaie, 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 Booth» at the English Royal was at Man-
chester in lS6\i, upon which occaBion Lady Fragrant was champion female
and Earl of Derby (21tt3S), bred and shown by Wiley of Brandsby. was c
pLi)U 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-
lower 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 dist^ant 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.
In 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 oCcuiTed. 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 partly until the
other had the first option. The Duchesses had
400 A HISTORY OF SHOBT-HOBN CATTLE.
cost Walcott & Campbell an average of $5,500
each and the Oxfords S2,800 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 bad not filled his tern 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-
beirs 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 bom an alien, had confidence in the Govem-
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': 960,000 paid the original debt
of 9100,000. 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 propositiou 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 m&de 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 11th.
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 MIUb Booth cattle were afterward sold to M-. Coch-
rane, who sent some of them back to Boffland.
as
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 m 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 passaire, beinsr 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.
I4yair8 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 Oen. Grant was then a yearling. Mr. Lyall fitted the show
herds for their most successful campaigns, ae well as for this closingK>ut
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 Ijouan 18th
bad 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 BIBTH 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 oow; sired by Gen. Grant out of his
own dam, Jessie-C. C; & R. H. Parks, Waukegan, 111. .98,800
4th Louan of Oakland, yearling heifer; by M Duke of
Geneva 5602— J. C. Jenkins, Petersburg, Ky 3,660
Louan 21st,t eight-year-old show cow, bred by Jere Duncan;
sired by Duke of Airdrie 2743— Geo. Murray, Racine, Wis. 8,600
«Mlirnonette, It will \)e obseryed, was incestuously bred. She was a
very fine show heifer as a yearliiu? and two-year-old, but grevr too " lumpy *'
for the show-yard and did no good as a breeder. She was sold by Messrs.
Parks Immediately after the sale to Georire Murray at $4,000.
t Louan 2lBt was the beat of her family In the herd at this time, although
In the opinion of Herdsman Lyall not so Rood a cow as old Jessie, the dam
of Gen. Orant. He describea JcBsic as a red of ^reat scale, with «rood head,
excellent quarters and fine quality, altO)?e1her the best cow that Mr. Mc
Mlllan had ever owned, although inclined to be up on legs.
404 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLK.
Wenona, red show oow, tracing to imp. Loaisa; sired by
Gen. Grant— W. J. Neely, Ottawa, HI $8,000
Forest Queen, red two-year-old; by Plantagenet— George
Murray 2,800
Louan 85th, red show cow; by Duke of Airdrie 2748— £. G.
Bedford, Kentucky 2,025
Highland Lady, roan cow, bred by J. M. Hill, Illinois; sired
by imp. King Alfred (8068), dam White Lady, bought by
Mr. McMillan at the Hill sale already mentioned— J. H.
Spears, TaUuia, 111. 2,076
6th Louan of Oakland,* red show heifer; by Plantagenet—
George Murray 2,000
Louan 28d, roan show cow; by Lord Derby— A. J. Dunlap,
Galesburg, lU 1,750
Louan 80th, red cow ; by Duke of Airdrie 2748— T. J. Megib-
ben, Cynthiana, Ky 1,660
Linda Belle 2d, red show heifer; by Plantagenet-J. H.
Spears 1,525
6th Duchess of Oakland, red-and-white three-year-old; by
Plantagenet --George Gregg, Beechville, Can 1,500
7th Duchess of Oakland, red two-year-old ; by Plantagenet
James Fullington, Union Ck>., O 1,400
f^ora Belle 8d, roan yearling— J. H. Spears 1,825
Magenta, red heifer calf ; by Plantagenet, dam Clinton Lady
-J. H. Spears 1,106
Oxford Duchess, red cow— W. M. Haines, Metamora, Ind. . . 1,075
Fannie Hunt, red three-year-old ; dam Anna Hunt, of Mr.
Warfleld's breeding— A. J. Dunlap 1,025
Myrtle, roan twelve-year-old cow ; by imp. Starlight (12146)
—James FullingtoD 1,006
Anna Clark, red-and-white cow, bred by C. M. Clark— Mil-
ton Briggs, Newton, la 050
Eudora 2d, red heifer; by Plantagenet— B. H. Campbell,
Batavia, ni 910
Clinton Lady, red nine-year-old cow— Jesse Hagler, Fayette
Co., O 850
Louan of Oakland, red cow— Milton Briggs 800
* Lyall, who liad "been consulted by Mr. Hurr&y as to what to hoy, and
who afterward entered the employ of Mr. Murray, tried to induoe him to
take the 4th Louan instead of the 6th, as the former was a irood one and
Louan 6th was slack In her loin and never could make a cow. This advice,
however, was not followed. It has been «renerally believed that Mr. Mur-
rny really bought what stock ho wanted privately, before the sale, and hsd
it passed through the rln5:.
THE BIRTH OF A " BOOM/' 405
liouan 12th, red eleven-year-old cow— K. G. Dan, Loodon, O. 1800
Rosa Bonheur, red-roan three-year-old^James Fullington. . 750
Emma ad, red cow— B. H. Campbell 780
Anna EggleBton, red cow— Thomas Kirk, Fayette Co., O . . . . 730
10th Belle Republic, red cow— Milton Briggs 700
141st BeUe RepubUc, red cow— Milton Briggs 700
8d liOuan 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 Plantageoet— J. W. Arm-
stroxig 660
Vain Lady, red two-year-old ; by Gren. Grant— B. H. Camp-
bell 686
Minna Watson, roan heifer calf— H. B. Sherman, Toledo, O. 635
May Day, red-and-white cow— B. H. Campbell 605
Bride of Greenwood, red-and-white, bred by David Selsor—
Greorge Gregg, Canada 525
Emma Palmer, red-and-white oow, twelve years old; by
imp. Warrior (12887)— Thomas Kirk, Fayette Co., O.... 500
Eudora, roan cow— Charles Hook, Xenia, O 600
Oneota, cow; by Duke of Airdrie 8748— Jesse Hagler 500
4th Belle Republic, roan co w— Milton Briggs 600
Of the bulls Royal Oakland, a red two-year-
old by Plantageiiet 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 9,nd 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 Gwynnes, a Mazurka, and
several other females, including Constance 6th,
* " I took oooasion on one of my frequent trips east to visit the New
York Mills Herd of Ayrshires, wMch 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 Olbson 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 bams and
yards. While standing on the platform of the bam 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 Qibeon'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'B the
kind of stock you want for the West Tour 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 Ajnrshire heifers and a yearling bull and ai^
ranged for their shipment. Before I left, however, Olbson found an oppor-
tunity to whisper in my ear: *Tou ^111 make no mistake if you take the
advice of your friend and take along a few Shortrhoms.' 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
IIOO,* was the reply. 'Why, Mr. Campbell.' spoke up Olbson quickly, 'Mr
Sheldon would never sell such a bull as that for a cent less than t400 ' ' No
matter, said Mr. Campbell, 'if Mr. King wants him for tlOO 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 Haaon blood. And thus becan my Short-
horn purchases. Whether Gibson put up a Job to have that Short-horn bull
appear on the stave 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 adTlsed by telegraph that the boat on which the stock warn
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 Ayrshlres first belnir unloaded. Amonff the crowd of
levee lounirers who were ' watching out * to see what was going on was one
tall, lank, uncouth-looking chap who eyed my little Ayrshlres with great
apparent curiosity, and finally addressing me he broke out: ' I say, Mister,
what do you call them are critters there?' 'Young Ayrshlres,' 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 bam floor and you'll lose 'em.* Too Indignant to reply to this gross
insult put upon my beautiful young Ayrshlres 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 Haid to him: ' Young man, that bull don't come anywhere as near
being a Devon as you do to being a natural-bom 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 hiB 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 i
had them safely aud comfortably housed in their hiunble 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
4iO A HISTORY OF SHOET-HORN CATTLE.
to undertake the detailed training of the show
herd then in progress of formation.
Beattie arrived Aug. 2, 1870, Avith the im-
ported cattle. He had brought out forty head
altogether, including the bulls Scotsman 10951
and Old Sam 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 niore 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 BIBTH 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 upod 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
drew 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 HISTOEY OF SHOET-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 lbs. His head was neat, horns
slightly drooping, and of masculine character.
He was well filled behind the shoulders, good
at the chine; level in his top and bottom lines;
•Capt. James N. Brown died Nov. 16, 1868. His sona still canyon the
farm, althouirh 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
(19614), 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: "Bosedale was one of
the best cows I ever saw. She was laid out on a much larrer f;cale than
the cows now shown. She had an extraordinary front that was well car^
ried back to her hips. She was lonfr. wide and deep, with grreat thickness
of flesh, evenly laid. She was Just a little plain from her hip» back, which
was about her only fault. With all her size and wealth of flesh she had no
coarseness or roufrhness, 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 thiners we showed at St. Louis in 1870 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 Shor^hom 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
6th 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 aald he need not be,
becauBo she could not be a daughter of 5th Duke of Geneva, as she was too
younir. Theu. of cours»'. Col. Kin;,' eiflior h;ul to deny her sire or acknowl-
edi^e- as, upon In', esttgation. he subsoiiuently did— that she was shown In
the wrong riutc .
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 Woodbum, made $1,000 to Robert
Otley, Neponset, 111. Others were sold at from
$400 to $750.
The beginning of live-stock journalism.
— It may 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 Jvurnal, 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 atatlnflr that It was in the
work of compiling Short-horn catalo^uea in the office of the monthly masror
zlne mentioned that he acquired, some twenty years a^o, his first acQualn-
tance with the intricacies of the Short-horn Herd Books of Great Britain
and America.
87
CHAPTER XIV.
AN ERA OF EXPANSION.
Importiant 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 propertj 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 S. R.
Streator of Cleveland, 0., etc.
Richard Gibson selected for importation by
Col. King in 1871 a lot that included such
noted animals as Baron Hubback 2d 13199, of
Col. Towneley's breeding; Countess of Oxford,
from Messrs. Hosken of Cornwall; Lady
Brough, largely of Booth blood, etc. Mean-
time Mr. Cochi-ane 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.
Ezportations 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 11th 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
$1 ,300 for the red heifer Cowslip 2d, bought by
Lewis Hampton. The red cow Pride of the
West, bred by Mr. 6. Game and sired by exp.
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 Hopewell, 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. Cochrane), 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, HI., 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-
gun, 111., at $500, and the roan bull calf Chief
Napier — a "J" Princess by imp. Gen. Napier —
was taken by E. W. Mills, Sullivan, III, 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 Bosina, bred by
Cowan of Canada.
Lord Dunmore again drew upon America,
ordering from Hillhurst 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
Isles, 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 Flair was one of an importation made in 1871 by a CapL Pratt,
that xMMsed Into the poaaesaion of Mr. Pickrell. Baron Ijewia was the firat
Shortrhom bred and reared In IlUnoia to brlnr so gre&t a price. At this
sale a very persistent stranirer bid for Baron Lewis against Mr. Sodowsky,
and when the |2,!iOO notch was reached the excitement was intense. Turn-
inir to his opponent Mr. S. said: " Well, stran^rer, you must have lota of
money." The only reply was an adyance 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 13,000. 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 rep«^atpd his tactics as already noticed in hlA
purchase of the l&th Duke of Alrdrie some years prevloua.
426 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLR.
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 lOth 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. Pickreirs 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. Tliornton 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 £1,650, or fully $8,250 in gold, the
highest price paid at auction for any animal of
the breed up to that date. Mr. Downing had
paid Mr. Sheldon of New York $4,000 for the
bull in 1869. Col. L. G. Morris of Fordham, N.
Y., was a buyer at this sale. The highest-priced
female was 5th Maid of Oxford at $4,500.
Oakland Favorite 10546 and Loudon Duke
6th 10399.~In 1870 Mr. Charles E. Leonard of
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 OP 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 Oowan 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,.aud one of
his daughters, Loudon'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-
*lir. Ralph Anderson of Falls City was possibly the first breeder of
ShorVhoms in Nebraska, but Mr. Daniels shipped, in 1867, the first speci-
mens of the breed ever taken to the State by rail, paying: tMO per car from
GhlcaiTO. 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 largrely of ** Scvent<jen " blood, and concerning these he
says: *'I think they were as «rood beef cattle as I ever saw.** He also
brought with this lot a two-year-old steer for which he paid 1100 in Michi-
gan, keepinir him until he was six years old. when he was sold to Shirley
Bros, of Omaha for Christmas beef at a hlgrh price. Mr. Daniels bougrht
from Mr. Cowan the breeding bull Knight of St. Qeor^e 8473, that had been
bred by W. B. Duncan of Illinois. He was a Phyllis, sired by Minister
6968, and cost Mr. Daniels 11,000. Then for many years he bred from sons
of Loudon Duke 6th. Speakingr of his experience with Shortrhorns " Uncle
Dick,** as this veteran Nebraska breeder ia familiarly called, sajrs: **If I
had to bevln life over again I would breed Short-horns. They always paid
me.**
480 A HISTOKY OF SHORT-HOEN CATTLE.
tee that i^ued 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:
Raotoe&^ 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.
RaobotAj 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. Bell's 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 SHOBT-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-Dunmore controversy in its issue of Jan-
uary, 1873, used the following significant lan-
guage:
** The Booth and Bates men asually 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 laninuige 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 OP EXPANSION.
433
supported by the owners of Short-horns of all strains, should aid
in Iceeping 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 l)y the dealers in the *' fashionable"
strains of that day.
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-THEEE. 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 niSTORY 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 $789, 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
«Mesara. C. C. ft R. H. Parka were Wall street brokers, and had for*
merly resided at Waukegran. After aoqulriner poBsesalon of the Glen Flora
Farm they soon decided upon etockins It with pediirreed cattle, horses and
sheep. Their attention was drawn to Sho^^homs through the herd that
Mr. W. B. Dod^ had established at Waukeran. Their first investment was
In 1809, when they bought five heifers, by Minister 6863. of W. R. Duncan for
i2.(XW. 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 UJOM. 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 Wisoon-
■in 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. DeGrafI at a high price, and Qem of Bryholme, 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, beHides a number of cattle from
Messrs. Lusk, W<id8worth, Pratt and other prominent Eastern breeders,
nnd were for several years among the most active lu the American Short-
horn trade.
The Glen Flora Herd that was shown in the fall of 1872 won something
over $2.(100 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
cl.ampion cow imp. Henrietta, imp. Ruberta, imp. Lady Brough, shown as
a two-year-old; Miss Leslie, Pattie Moore, Miss Leslie Napier, and the calf
iM Qem of Eryholnie. This was a strong lot. admirably fitted.
THE SENSATION OP 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-
rane 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 H18T0EY 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
16,000 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.
(ieorge Otley gave $1,000 at this sale for Dove
6th. On June 25 J. H. Kissinger held a sale
that aveiuged $540 on the females, the "top" of
•Cherub was bred by Lord Sudeley of GlouceBtershire, Edit., and was
got by Buroii Booth (2121*2). sire of imp. Baron Booth of Lancaater, out of
Seraphln» I3th by John o' Gauut (IG322). He was Imported by Cochrane,
who sold hlni 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 Vaux cow Farina 2d, also a
noted prize-taker, at the same figure. The
Daisy (by Wild) show bull Duke of Airdrie
9800 went to H. Clark of Missouri at $1,000.
At Dr. A. C. Stevenson's sale at Green castle,
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 OP RHORT-nORN CATTLE.
Annie Laura to S. F. Lockridge, Greencastle,
Ind., for $1,000, the bull Mazurka Lad 15928 to
J. V. Grigsby at $1,400, and the bull 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
(Jrigsby 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 11th 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| per cent of the gross receipts.
H. Strafford, the celebrated English auctioneer
and editor of the English Herd Book, was cor-
responded with. He wa>s to sell the Duchesses
442 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
for a fee of 1,000 guineas! He publisned 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 Can-
episode led to a long and heated newspaper
controversy, in the course of which BelFs 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-
hell 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 leadlnflT outcroBses on the Ducbeases came throuffb M Duke of
Athol (11376) into the Duchesses of Airdrie, through Usiirer (8768) into the
English Duchesses, through Imperial Oxford 4905, Prince Imperial (IflOBG)
and 2d Duke of Bolton (12730) into the Grand Duchesses, and through Grand
Turk (12969) Into some of the Dukes of Thorndale. Outcrosses put upon the
Oxfords included Romeo (13619) and his sons Oxford Lad 4220 and Imperial
Oxford 4905; MarQuis of Carrabas (11789), bred by Fawkes, and Lamartine
(ll(i62), bred by J. M. Sherwood. Imperial Duke (18088). that was half-Duch-
ess and half-Knightley, had also beeu 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, speaklnfl: of the sale, saya: "The Question of the
hour was not what the BTera^ would bo but what would a Duchess brinir?
Some were sanguine enough to place the flirure at 190,000. In the momin^
the tension was somelhinff terrific, and aa the time to commence drew near
little coteries were befflnnin^ to bunch together, Kentucky's tall sons to
the northwest of the ring^, the Enirllsh visitors on the southwest, while the
others were promiscuously seated in the stand. Eello, 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. Dnring 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 oil to Page and said: *I hope you will not at-
tempt to sell all these cattle in one day/ 'I shall,' replied Page. *Then,
air, I shall consider that you are sacrificing my property,* was Campbell's
rejoinder. * May I take the bids as fast as they come7 ' asked the auction-
eer.
** On a waterincr 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
tnm. taking all the beat. 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-«aglei8m, but for business. He said: 'Gentlemen,
please give me your attention and I will read the conditions of this sale.'
The Sd Duke of Oneida was brought into the ring while he was readincr
ttiem« *Will anyone make me an oiler on the bull?' were the opening
words. *Ten thousand dollars,' came the answer from the Kentuclslans,
and so the sale beffan."
444 A HISTORY OF SHOET-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
centuiy 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
Ehivies, with whom the other English gentlemen refused to eniier
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 Bco-
tive'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 $16,000 each. This seemed Ifke a fabulous price,
however ; and as every one took great pains to conceal his own in-
tentions there were many persons loth to believe that this much
was to be paid, and the probability of $15,000 being paid for a
single animal on the morrow was the staple subject of discussion
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 All, 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 100,000, 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. 8, 1870, got by 4th
Duke of Geneva 7981 out of 18th Duchess of Thomdale by lOtli
Duke of Thomdale (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 Alrdrie,
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 efTort to reconcile their diiferences, 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. **£leyen 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 Kentucklans 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 Kentucklans separated
Mr. Megibben raised the bid to 112,000, and still the Englishmen
consulted. It was evident they wanted the buU ; but the fenukles
were more valuable, aod they were of the opinion that if they ad-
vanced the price of him to the point to which the Kentucklans
were prepared to go the price of the females might be correspond-
ingly advanced, and perhaps put altogether beyond their reach.
Their minds were quickly made up on this point, and the 2d Duke
of Oneida was knocked oif to Mr. Megibben at fl2,000, 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 Thomdale (28458)
out of 8th Duchess of Geneva by 8d Lord of Oxford (22200), and in
Ciilf since Dec. 10 to 2d Duke of Oneida. The Clark Co. (Ky.) oom-
J)loation started her at once at $15,000, which Lord Skelmersdale
of England raised at once to $80,000, 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 Kentucklans con-
cluded to follow her no further, and then Mr. Kello, the represen-
tative of Mr. Da vies of England, advanced the $200 bid to $900,
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. Consideiinrr 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 aU 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
8d Duke of Oneida 0996 out of 1st Duchess of Oneida by 10th Duke
of Thomdale (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
t6,000 and the ball opened— f7,000, 18,000 by two, 110,000 by two,
911,000 by two, $12,000 by two, followed in such rapid snocession
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 r^nglishmen in his front promptly raised to 918,-
000. From the further side of the ring Mr. E. G. Bedford of Ken-
tucky interposed another 1500, which the Englishmen made 914,-
000, only to elicit an additional 9500 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 9500 bids followed until
the calf was declared the property of Mr. Alexander at 919,000.
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 (2S752) out of 5th Duchess of Geneva by Grand
Duke of Oxford (16184), in calf since March 80 by 2d Duke of
Oneida. Ck>l. Morris of New York led off with 95,000, which Col.
King of Minnesota raised to 910,000. Mr. KeUo advanced the fig-
ure to 915,000 for Mr. Da vies, and Mr. Berwick for Ekirl Bective
made it 920,000, 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 925.000, and Col. King added another 91,000, which
Mr. Berwick lost no time in advancing to 980,000. This bid Mr.
Brodhead advanced 9100, 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 I how much is that in sterling?'* One of them
pushed him again to the front, exclaiming, ''Buy her, and count it
afterward 1" but not until Mr. Kello had taken advantage of his
excitement to raise the price to 180,500. Mr. Berwick returned
with $81,000, Mr KeUo with $100, which Mr. Berwick raised to
$600. with no other efTect than to bring from his opponent a bid of
$82,000. Mr. Berwick seemed to be nettled by Mr. KeUo's undis-
turbed manner and added another $1,000, making $88,000; and Mr.
Kello, not at all dashed, added $600 more without delay, and then .
Mr. Berwick advanced it to $84,000; *<and $600," was Mr. KeUo'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 $36,000 and were aware
that Mr. Kello hod not been permitted to become a member of the
ELiglish party, watched this contest between the two English in-
terests with no little concern ; and his opponents, althou^ evi-
dently feeling tbey had paid dear for the victory, were in high
glee that they had won it. Of course the price, $85,000, would
never be equaled again, and the audience gave itself up once more
to various expressions of astonishment. The entrance to the ring
of the
8th Duchess of Oneida served to restore order. Another roan
she proved to be, calved Nov. 18, 1872, got by the 4th Duke of
Geneva 7931 out of 10th Duchess of Geneva by 2d Duke of Geneva
(28752). 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
18th 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 $6,000 by 0>1. Morris, which was doubled
by Col. King. Mr A. B. Ck>nger of New York added another
$1,000, and $1,000 bids followed quickly until she was declared to
be the property of Mr. 0>nger 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 $600 bids sent
her up to $13,000, which several gentlemen raised to $18,600, 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 advano-
ing her 1600 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 $800. At this point Mr.
Holford of England, considering the Amencans had about got
through, entered the. lists with a $900 bid, and she stood at $16,-
600. Mr. Brodhead greeted his new competitor with an addi-
tional $600 bid. to which the Englishman responded with a $1,000,
making it $17,000. Mr. Brodhead promptly interposed another
$100, and the Englishman, adopting the same tactics, bid $100
more, and she climbed up slowly, $100 at a time, until Mr. Brod-
head had bid $17,600, when Mr. Holford, as if hoping to shake off
the Kentuckian, bid sharply $18,000. And to show that he could
not be bluffed by that game Mr. Brodhead added promptly an-
other $1,000. From $19,000 to $21,000 the bids were $100 each in
most cases, and when that point was reached Mr. Holford, seeing
the Kentuckian was in no measure disturbed, dropped out of the
contest, and Mr. E. G. Bedford came forward, just as she was
about to be knocked off, with a $600 bid, Mr. Brodhead respond-
ing with a similar amount, and $600 more was bid by Mr. Megib-
ben, the gentleman who had purchased the bull, and Mr. Brod-
head made it $28,000, and, with $600 jumi)s, she advanced to $35,-
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, 1806; got by the 8d Lord of Oxford (22200)
out of the 1st Duchess of Greneva 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 bead. 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
460 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
being Mr. Kello, and some one of the English party made it I06,-
000. Mr. Kello made it 996,000, and his opponents $90,000. Blr.
Kello added tl,000 more, and his bid was promptly raised to $S2,-
000. Then tSS,000 came from the stand (from either Ool. King,
Col. Morris, Mr. Murray, or G. M. Bedford), and was the highest
American bid, and Mr. Kello raised that to 184,000, when the
other Elnglishmen made it 186,000. 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-coyeted family, he determined to take
Liord Skelmersdale's advice to Mr. Berwick and **btcy her," and
added 9600, which brought 187,000 from his opponents. ** Tkirtih
eight ehouioful,** said Mr. Kello. Evidently thinking that one more
bold push would crowd Kello from the course one of them bid
f(nty thousand doOars I For a moment Mr. Kello faltered, but finally
added 9100. Here she seemed likely to go, but Mr. Berwick added
$100 more. *' Forty thouBand three hundred doUany just in time, from
Mr. Kello." The ezcHement was now so Intense that every indi-
vidual in that vast throng seemed to hold Jiis breath ; the silence
was absolutely oppresHve, and broken only by the words of the
auctioneer as he slowly repeated: " Forty— thousand— three-
hundred — dollars — Are — you — all — done —gentlemen? " JJo/Uy
Simon Beat tie, with an English order in his pocket and Mr. Coch-
rane at his back, ventured another 9100. "Forty thouaand 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 960 more.
^^FHve /lufidred," said Berwick, in a sharp, impatient tone, as if
auziqus to end in some way the terrible suspense. ** Forty Cftou-
Band five hundred dnUars; are you all done? Once I Twice I Six
hundred, and in time," and she was knocked off to Mr. Kello for R.
Pavin Davies 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 8d Lord Oxford (22200) . Before order was
restored Col. Morris of New York started her at 96,000. Col. King
of Minnesota, who sat beside him, made it 910,000; 911,000 and 912,-
000 were bid, when George M. Bedford of Kentucky from the seat
THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THREE. 451
behind put her at $16,000. Mr. Richard Gibson, who had hurried
home from England to attend this sale with an order in his pocket,
added 13,000 more, and then Mr. Brodhead, who desired hor to
grace the blue grass at Woodburn, placed her at 118,000, 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 OQntest was a short one, and the announcement that the Eng-
lishmen had again failed to capture a Duchess provoked the wild-
est enthujsiasm. 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
9d Duke of Oneida 9926 out of 12th Duchess of Thorndale by 6th
Duke of Thorndale (2S794). She had two outcrosses in her pedi-
gree, the Bomeo through the 6th Duke of Thorndale, and the Im-
perial Duke through her second daiu, and foi; 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 Ekiri
Bective on the next bid— $10,000. She was followed by the
12th Duchess of Thorndale, roan, calved Oct. IS, 1866, by 6tb
Duke of Thorndale (28794) out of 5th Duchess of Thorndale by Im-
perial Duke (18068), 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
8d Duchess of Oneida, roan, calved March 19, 1871, by 4th Duke
of Geneva 7981 out of 8th Duchess of Thorndale by Sd Duke of
Airdrie (28717), through which she gets the Lord George outcross,
served July 8d 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 $600, and Mr. Murray of Racine bid $14,000. Then
Mr. Berwick of England bid $16,000, to which Mr. Brodhead added
$100. Mr. Holfordof England then appeared as a competitor, and
finally secured her at $15,600.
452 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLK.
SUMMARY OP HIGHEST PRICES AND AVERAOBS.
8th Duchess of Geneva— R. Pavin Davies, England $40,600
10th Duchess of Geneva— Earl Bective, Ehigland 36,000
1st Duchess of Oneida— Lord Skelmersdale, E^ngland 90,600
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
8d Duchess of Oneida— T. Holford, England 15,600
8th Duchess of Oneida— Earl Bective 15,300
18th Duchess of Thomdale— A. B. Conger, New York ...... 15,000
9th Duchess of Oneida— Earl Bective 10,000
12th Duchess of Thomdale— 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 1238,800; an average of 121,709
8 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
2dMaidof 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
8d Maid of Oxford— Warnock & Megibben 1,000
6 f emalest sold f or $81,200; an average of $5,200
2 bulls sold for 3,800 ; an average of 1,900
8 Oxfords sold for 85,000; an average of 4,375
Lady Knightley 8d-Col. L. G. MorHs $6,000
Lady Knightley 4th— A. W. Griswold 4,000
Lady Knightley 2d— E. K. Thomas, Kentucky 3.100
Lady Bates 4th— E. G. Bedford 8,260
Lady Bates 6th— George M. Bedford 2,800
Lady Bates 7th— A. B. Cornell 1,600
Lady Worcester 5th (Wild Eyes)— T. Holford 8,100
•This is exclusive of the 8th Duchess of Thomdale. that was sold as
biirroii to C. F. Wadsworth of New York at $150.
t Exclusive of 7th Lady of Oxford, sold as doubtful breeder to Esra
Coruekl at |4UU
THE SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THEBE. 453
Lady Worcester 4th (WUd Eyes)— T. Holford 8,000
Atlantic Gwynne— Lord Skelmersdale 2,000
Miss Gwynne— Col. WUliam S. King 1,700
Brenda (Bloom)— Col. L. G. Morris 2,600
Berlinda (Bloom)— Col. L. G. Morris 2,800
Bloom 4th (Bloom)— A. B. ComeU 1,000
Beauty's Pride (Foggathorpe)— A. W. Griswold 1,726
Baron Oxford's Beauty (Foggathorpe)— Bush & Hampton,
Kentucky 1,600
Cherry Constance 2d— T. J. Meglbbeir 1,725
Cherry Constance— Col. King 1,100
Peri 4th-Col. King 1,700
PeH 5th— Col. King 1,800
Moselle (Mazurka)— A. W. Griswold 1,425
Rosamond 10th— W. R. Duncan, Illinois 2,060
Victoria 7th— A. W. Griswold 1,625
Water Lily— Bush & Hampton J ,126
Roan Duchess 8d— George M. Bedford 1,(^^5
22 females sold for $360,775; an average of . 93,813
17bulls60ld for 31,215; anavcrageof 1,836
100 animals sold for 881,990; an average of 8,604
Kello'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 ofEer was ac-
cepted. Meantime Davies was forming a syn-
dicate in England to take the cow at the $40,-
464 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLK.
600 bid, and finally cabled: "Don't sell the cow.
Have arranged to take her." This ainved 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 hei'self 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. Moms, 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 Duchese
was literally clone to her death by an i^rnorant Irish employe of Mr. Camp-
beir». She developed at parturition a case of false presentation, with
which she wrestled for thirty-six hours, while the poor beast wa9 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 distreas "to make her calve alayl'* It ia
alao related that one of Mr. Alexander'a purchaaea waa driven to A. Ben-
ick'a by a colored hand on horaeback, to be bred to the 4th Duke of Geneva.
At New York Milla the Ducheaa would have ridden and her attendant
walked. Thla cow arrived at Renick'a overcome by the heat, waa turned
cut in paature, and a thunder-ahower at nigrht completed the Job. Com.
mentlnff upon thla incident and contraatlncr It with the treatment given to
hla peta at their York State home Glbaon remarka: "The nig-ger lived."
466 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 ia.nd 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 fropi 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-
ful 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,
THB SENSATION OF SEVENTY-THRKE. 457
Mr. Gibson attributes most of the troubles of
the New York Mills Duchesses after his con-
nection with the herd ceased.*
4th Buke 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 lbs. 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 fl^ht atrainst fate at
flnt, 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 sag'acity,
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 Enirland, 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, air,** rejoined Mr. Campbell: and the auctioneer's fee was two
black-noaed Victorias that were not worthy to be put in the sale!— iKiekaf4
Qibmm <n **Breeder't Qaxetur
458 A HISTORY OF 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 Skelmei-s-
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
116,000.
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 £l26, the top being 800 guineas for
6th Maid of Oxford.
14th duke of THORNDALE (28459) at 13 Months.
Sold for $17,900.
'^y^r,^ ^
4th duke of geneva (30957) at Three Years.
rsfii at yew York Mills and on Renuk liOi^e of Sharon*.
CHAPTER XVL
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
• Wrttinff of the sltnation in the fall of UTS John Thornton said: ** A
alight reaction in favor of not brooding from * pure ' alraina waa noticeable
during the autumn. Close in-and-in breeding is doubtleaa the method
whereby many of our finest animals are produced, aa 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 tlfe fThort-hom le
brought to a lerel 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 GOLDBN 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 Snell's sale at Edmonton,
Ont., Messrs. Day of Iowa paid $1,225 for the
Scotch-bred imp. Golden Drop Ist, then eight
years old, and $1,005 for the roan yearling
heifer Golden Circle. On the following day 9.t
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-
diusville, 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. P. Wads-
worth of New York at $1,000. For Melody
462 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN C\TTLB.
Grwynne 6th Elliott & Kent of Iowa gave
$1,600. 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 11th 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 Avery & 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 Dake of Hillhunt 12803:--G«orge Robbins, London, Enf?. .914,000
Lady Mary 7th (Princess)— Charles F. Wads worth, New
York 6,600
I^dy Mary 8th— Charles F. Wads worth 6,500
Lyndale WUd Eyes— T. J. Megibben 5,000
Bell Duchess— James Wadsworth, New York 4,400
Peri 5th-James Wadsworth 4,000
BeU Duchess 8d— T. J. Megibben 8,800
Peri 4th— T. J. Megibben 8,000
T^dy Mary 6th— Gen. N. M. Curtis, New York 8,000
8d Malvern Gwynne— T. J. Megibben 8,000
Miss G wjmne— A. W. Griswold, Vermont 8,000
Baron Hubback 2d— C. A. DeGrafl, Minnesota 2,600
Peri 2d of Lyndale— Avery & Murphy, Michigan 2,600
True Blue (buU)— P. A. Coen, Illinois 2,240
PeriSd- A. W. Griswold.... 2,100
Hubback*s Garland— WUliam 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. DeGrafl 2,005
6th 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 1,860
Star of Lyndale— S. E. Ward 1,860
2d Tuberose of Brattleboro— T. J. Megibben 1,800
Florence— D. M. Flynn, Iowa 1,700
Constance of Lyndale 2d— A. W. Griswold 1,076
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 Sd— John R. Craig, Canada 1,600
Maxnrka of Lyndale— S. Meredith & Son, Indiana 1,625
2d Lady Gwynne- T. J. Megibben 1 ,600
Oakwood Gwynne 2d— Gen. N. M. Curtis 1,600
Mazurka of Lyndale 8d— J. H. Kissinger, Missouri 1,475
Mayflower^— K L. Davison, Kentucky 1,485
Medora 14th— John R.Craig 1,800
Scottish Lady— S. W. Jacobs, Iowa 1,276
June Flower— J. G. Coulter, Ohio .... 1,225
68/emales sold for $101,615; an average of $1,762
21 bulls sold for 25,875; an average of.... 1,206
79 animals sold for 126,990; an average of 1,688
464 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
The sale of 2d Duke of Hillhurst 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
sura 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 them 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 Dunmore, 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
coraparative 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 fof 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
83
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, IH.; Louan 4th, by Baron
Booth of Lancaster, $1,760 from John Niccolls
of Bloomington; Louan 5th (by Aristocrat)
$1,300 from Claude Matthews, and Louan 3d,
by 11th Duke of Airdrie, $1,100 from Emory
Cobb.
Kentucky summer sales. — The Kentucky
auction sales of 1874 were largely attended
and made some big averages. At Hughes &
Richardson^s eighty-eight head averaged $581.
Lady Bates 3d fetched $2,150, Geneva Gwynne
$1,675, Minna of Elkhill $1,905 and Loudon
Duchess 6th $1,775— all to 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 4
Hampton. At E. L. Davison's Gen. Meredith
^^^^^%B^i/^m.
A GOLDEN AGE. 467
paid $1,725 for Mazurka 36th and $1,000 for
Grace 4th. Walter Handy gave $1,150 for
Louan of Waveland and J. R. Shelley of Illi-
nois $1,250 for Mazurka 37th. At Wamock &
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 Loudon Duchesses sold
for $24,650, an average of $3,521, four being
bought by Kentuckians — C. M. Clay, T. J. Me-
gibben and Ben P. 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 Hillhurst
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
extraordinaiy. The transfer of the 7th Duke
of Oneida from A. W. Griswold to Mr. A. J.
Alexander of Woodbum Farm, Ky., for $10,000
ha^ 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 1876.— 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 R. 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 Ramsden
5th. Wesley Warnock of Kentucky took Peri
Pink at $1,350 and W. E. Simms of Kentucky
470 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN 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 Wamock 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 AGB. 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. HoUoway journeyed
to Mr. Cochrane's and bought the 4th Duke of
HiUhurst 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, HI., 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 Kissingers
Breastplate 17476, sired by old Breastplate out
of imp. Primula by FalstafE (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. R. Conover, Petersburg, 111., took her dam,
the McMillan-bred Magenta, by Plantagenet,
at $1,325: James N. Brown's Sons of Grove
Park, Sangamon Co., 111., paid $1,995 for 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.
Fickreirs 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
JL GOLDEN AGB. 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 11th 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 OP 8H0ET-H0EN CATTLE.
at $1,600. She was by imp. Gen. Napier (26239),
the Booth bull that Messrs. Parks sold to Col.
Stephen Duulap 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
Williani and W. Pickrell at $1,000.
At a combination sale held at Bloomington,
111., in April Mr. C. M. NiccoUs 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. Davison of
Kentucky paid $1,450 for Oxford Gwynne.
Jacobs' sale at West Liberty. — At West
Liberty, la., April 14, 1875, occurred the sale
of Mr. S. W. Jacobs, the first ever held at that
point. Eighty-three cattle averaged $614, and
the attendance was estimated at 1,500. This
was one of the memorable events of the period.
The Lady Sale Princess cow Maude, by Earl of
Grass Hill 8071, w^as bid off at the extraordi-
nary price of $7,200, and her yearling heifer by
Col. Wood 13692— Princess Maude— at $2,800.
A OOLDKN AGE. 477
Mrs. Kimberly gave $2,025 for the fine show
heifer 3d Gem of Eryholme, bred by Messns.
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 lbs. 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 SHOtlT-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-
caugo. On the 19th some long prices w ere again
(iiade 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 AG-E. 479
bora 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 Wastell's Jenny Lind 7th, by Lord
of the Isles, falling to ^T. 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,l)y 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 HoUoway. 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 tQ J. P. Sanborn for $9,600.
On the 22d day of May at same place J. R.
Shelly sold the Princess cow 37th Lady Sale
of 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 8d, 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,
111.', at $2,150. The imported cow 2d Lady, of
F. H. Fawkes' breeding, went to Ed lies at
$1,250. For the show cow Maggie Stone (by
Airdrie Duke 5306 out of a Margaret, by Snow-
ball, dam) Hon. Pliny Nichols of West Liberty,
la., gave $1,000. Rigdon Huston of Blandins-
ville, HI., 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 CATTLE^
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 Ogdensburg and James W.
Wadsworth of same place a number of Prin-
cesses. About this game time Mr. Alexander
sold to E. H. Cheney of England the 16th
Duchess of Airdrie for $17,000.
At a sale from the herd of Mr. Cochrane, held
in June, 1875, at Toronto, Airdrie Duchess 5th
was bought by Avery & Murphy for $18,000,
and the 5th Duke of Hillhurst by Mark S.
Cockrill of Tennessee for $8,300. 4th Louan of
Slausondale was taken by B. B. Groom at
$2,850. Messrs. Beattie & Miller sold some (jat-
tle at high prices at same time, receiving $3,000
for Princess of Oxford 4th, a like sura for Prin-
cess Maud, $2,200 for Princess of Raby, $2,700
for Surmise Duchess 5th, $2,400 for Sunnise
Duchess 10th, $3,100 for Duchess of Raby,
$4,600 for Kirklevington Princess 2d, $4,025
for Kirklevington Duchess 8th, and $2,300 for
Careless 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 11th. 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 WinchevSter,
Ky., gave $2,380 for Valeria. At Walter Ban-
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 SHOBT-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 PrincesBeB. — 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 OOLDBN AGS. 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. Sirams 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,"
* Ck>l. Taylor was an Ehvllsh army offleer who had aerved with hla teg.
Unent, the Sixtieth Btflea, In the Crimea. He aettled In CanadA and waa
made Deimty Adjutant-Oeneral In command of the mlUtla of the district in
which he resided. He boucrht a small place near London and begran breed-
ing Short-horns with marked success. Ho was a rreat enthusiast and one
3f the closest stndents of pcdUrrees of his day. Probably his greatest suc-
cess was with tho Brutes Crag-^rs tribo. Ee died a few years since at Wlnni-
- per while in command of that military district.
486 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN OATTLB.
which, it was expected, would assist in build-
ing uj) 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 hairless cattle that
were made the subject of egregious blundering.
In August, 1875, Almon W. Griswold sold in
the historic Duchess ring at New York Mills
five Princesses for $18,100, an avemge 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 0.*TT1-E.
appreciating fully tlieir 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 h.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,^20. D. U
Hughes of Iowa took two, paying $4,100 for
Lady Sale 29th and $1,700 for 2d Tuberose of
Grass Hill. D. S. Pratt of Vermont acquired
Lady Sale 29th on a bid of $4,000. Avery &
Murphy paid $2,500 for Lady Sale 31st. S. W.
Jacobs of Iowa bought Lady Sale 36th at
$1,800 and John Collard of the same State be-
came the owner of 6th Tuberose of Brattleboro
at $1,625. At this sale Emory Cobb of Elinois
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 Loudon 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 Loudon'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 4'oh, 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 8H0BT-H0EN OATTLK.
$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.
13,500 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 AQE. 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 :
8dd Duchess of Airdrie— J. H. Spears & Sons, niinois $17,500
Kirklevington Duchess 18th— John R. Craig, Canada. 5,160
Brightness— Benjamin Sumner, Connecticut 5,100
Highland Maid 6th-J. C. Tyler, Vermont 5,060
Duchess of Clarence— J. H. Spears & Sons 4,100
KirlKlevington Lady 6th— Avery & Murphy, Michigan 8,900
8d Duchess of Clarence— J. H. Spears & Sons 8,175
Wild Eyes Rose— W. N. Offutt, Kentucky 8.060
KirkleTington Lady 8d~J. V. Grigsby, Kentucky 8,000
492 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
Princess of Vinewood Ist— D. L. Hughes, Iowa 8,000
Georgia HiUhurst 8d— Avery & Murphy 8,800
Duchess of KingBCote--J. V. Grigsby 8,660
KirkleTington Lady 4th— Avory Sl Murpby 2,560
Fennel Duchess of Knightley Hall— T. J. Megibben, Ken-
tucky 2,500
2d Lady Bates of Vinewood— E. S. Bussing, New Yorlc 2,000
Kirklevington Lady 5th— Henry Corbin, Kentucky 2,00C
Annette of Knightley Hall-^ohn Gollard, Iowa 2,000
Wild Flower Duchess— N. .G. Pond, Connecticut 1.900
Duchess of Knightley Hall— John Gollard 1,860
Highland Maid 7th-D. I* Hughes 1,700
Wild Eyes of Horton Park— W. N. OfTutt, Kentucky 1,700
Lady Sale lOth-D. L. Hughes 1,600
Princess of Vinewood 2d-J. V. Grigsby 1,560
Sd Lady Bates of Vinewood— E. S. Bussing, New York. .... 1,600
Rosa Bonheor 8th— Avery & Murphy 1,400
Ruby Duchess— John R. Craig 1,226
Bright Eyes 9th— T. Stedman & Son, Massachusetts 1,176
Duenna Duchess 7th— J. H. Spears & Sons 1,126
Victoria llth-J. G. Cowan, Missouri 1,060
Duenna Duchess 6th— B. Sumner & Co., Connecticut 1,060
JubUeeOxford 4th-J. V. Grigsby 1,000
Sanspareil 10th— J. H. Spears & Sons 1,000
Oxford Geneva— D. L. Hughes, Towa 6,000
2d Compton Iiord Wild Eyes— John Collard, Iowa 8,600
8d Duke of Under-Edge— John Collard. 2,100
2d Duke of Undei^Edge— Hon. William M. Smith, Illinois. . 1,650
1st Duke of Under-Edge— Mrs. Jesse Long, Iowa 1,060
64 females sold for $109,446 ; an average of $1,710
9 bulls sold for 14,015; an average of 1,557
78 animals sold for 128,460; an average of 1,091
Other important transactions. — At H. D.
Ayres' sale Mr. Groom bought Hilpa Duchess
at $2,50a; at W. L. Sudduth's a pair of Miss
Washingtons (Youug Marys) fetched $2,000; at
John W. Prewitt's B. F. Vanmeter gave $1,000
for a Gentle Annie Phyllis, and at B. P. Goff's
Mr. J. H. Pickrell took Bright Lady of the
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
$149,336, an average of $3,829 on the entire
lot. It was here also that the greatest price
494 A HISTORY OF SHOBT-HOBN CATTLE.
ever obtained for a bull of any breed was paid,
to- wit.: 4,500 gs., which reduced to American
gold at that date was the 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 11th Maids of Oxford, bred in
New York and exported in 1871. In addition
to this the second highest-priced bull of the
sale — and the sire of a number of the most 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 rcaoon 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 QOLDEN AGS. 495
an aggregate sum of money which more than
reimbursed him for his extraordinary outlay at
Dunmore. This was indeed an outstanding
example of tke fact that if one is certain oi
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 AKD HKTFBBS.
Red Rose of tbe Isles, red» calved March 9, 1870; bred by
Abram Renick, Kentucky; got by Airdrle 2478, dam
Duchess 8d by Dandy Duke— Lord Bective $11,669
Marchioness of Oxford 8d, white, calved March 8, 1873; got
by 2d Duke of Collingham (38780) out of 8th Maid of Ox-
ford by 2d Duke of Geneva— Duke of Manchester 10,831
* The Hellidon sale was indeed a red-letter day In Mr. Thornton's career.
Storer waa quite an authority on Short-faoms at that time and actively
identified with the fortunes of the Booths. In common with Messrs. Torr,
▲ylmer, Booth and their friends Mr. Storer felt that Strafford, who was at
this dale the presidinir renius at all the great Short-horn sales, was too
active in behalf of tbe breeders of Bates cattle. Thornton was In Straf-
ford's employ, and the idea of encouracrlnir a paid helper to usurp the
throne of his employer was an unheard-of thing in Bn^land among such
conaervative men of means as were represented by the backers of the
Booths. Neyertheleas the Booth men brou«rht Thornton out at the Helli-
don sale, and, although It was his first attempt with the sand glass, he
proved his fitness for the work by keeping cool even under circumstances
calculated to excite an old hand.
4% A HISTORY OF 8H0BT-H0BN CATTLE.
Red Rom of Balmoral, red, calTed Not. 14, 1878; gothyBd
Duke of HiUhurat (80076) out of the Rose of Sharon cow
Red Rose of Braemar by Uth Duke of Thomdale— Lord
Bective f7,iG9
Oxford Duchess 2d, roan, calved June 20, 1872; got by 2d
Duke of CoUlngham (28780) out' of 11th Lady of Oxford
by Baron of Oxford (28871)— Lord Fitzhardinge 6,078
Fuchsia 12th, roan, calved Feb. 15, 1872; got by Duke of Al-
bany (25081) out of Fuchsia 10th by Grand Duke of York
(24071)--T. Lister \ 6,880
Water Flower, red-and-white, calved Dec. 20, 1871 ; got by
6th Duke of Geneva (80050) out of Waterloo 88th by Earl
of Eglinton (28882)— T. Halford 8,708
lAdy Worcester 6th, roan, calved March 80, 1800; got by 8d
Duke of Claro (28720) out of Lady Worcester 8d by
Charleston (21400)— A. H. Brassey 8,706
Blythesome Eyes, red, calved Dec. 22, 1874 ; got by 8d Duke
of HUlhurst (80075) out of WUd Eyes Duchess by 0th
Grand Duke (10870)— Lord Bective 8,617
Fuchsia 18th, roan, calved March 4th, 1872; got by Duke of
Albany (26081) out of Fuchsia 0th by Grand Duke of
York (24071)-J. W. Larking 8,886
Lady Worcester 12th, white, calved Nov. 16, 1872; got by
8th Duke of Geneva (28200) out of Lady Worcester 6th
by 8d Duke of Claro (28720)— Lord Bective 8,818
Lady Worcester 11th, white, calved Oct. 2, 1872; got by 8d
Duke of Clara (28720) out of Lady Worcester 8d by 8d
Duke of Wharfdale (21610)— Duke of Manchester 8,288
Lady Worcester 16th, roan, calved May 28, 1875; got by 8d
Duke of HUlhurst (80075)— Lord Bective 8,288
Water Lily, red, calved June 25, 1874; got by 8d Duke of
Hillhurst-T. Halford 8,108
Wild Eyes Duchess, red, calved Feb. 8, 1865; got by 0th
GrandDuke (10870)— T. Wilson 2,860
Wild Eyebright, roan, calved Sept. 10, 1872; got by 6th Duke
of Geneva (80050) — T. Wilson 2,720
Lady Worcester 18th, red-and-white, calved Jan. 28, 1874 ;
got by 8d Duke of HUlhurst (80075)— George Fox 2,000
Lady Worcester 0th, red-and-white, calved Aug. 10, 1871 ;
got by 8d Duke of Claro (28720) —Mr. Brogden 2,680
Hazel Eyes, roan, calved Nov. 80, 1874 ; got by 8d Duke of
HUlhurst (80075)— H. J. Sheldon 2,881
Lady Worcester 15th, red, calved Feb. 1, 18T5; got by 8d
Dukeof HUlhurst (80075) -R. Loder 2452
A GOLDEN AGE. 497
FnchaiA 14th, roan, oalved March 19, 1874; got by Dnke of
Albany (25»31)— Mr. Libter 12,162
Wild Rose, red-and-white, calved Feb. 2, 1872; got by 6th
Duke of Geneva (80969)— Col. Kingsoote 2,092
Sparkling Eyes, red-and-wblte, calved Nov. 18, 1873; got by
6th Duke of Geneva (30959) —Lord Feversha m 2,09^
BULLS.
Duke of Connaught (88604), roan, calved Aug. 10, 1873; got
by Duke of HiUhurst (28401) out of Duchess 108th by 8th
Duke of York (28480)— Started at $10,000 and sold to
Lord Fitzhardlnge 26,904
8d Duke of Hillburst (20975), red, calved Dec. 2, 1871; got
by Oih Duke of Geneva (30959) out of Duchess 101st by
4th Duke of Thorndale (17760)— Started at $5,000 and
sold to J. W. Larking 17,988
30 females sold for $96,457.28 ; ad 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 8,829.13
Ton's Triumph.— While the Bates flag flut-
tered thfe 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-Loonday smile, the organizing head, the
32
498 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
dauntless, warm heart whence w^elled unflag-
ging energy, determined persevemnce, 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 chivaliy
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 Ri by and Aylesby
families, was familiar to all the well-informed
cattle-breeders in Europe, America and Aus-
•The Bnvllah auctioneer uaea a aand-glaaa ia cloalnr blda. After due
warning the ^laaa la held aloft and the aand allowed to run. The laat bid
lu before the upper chamber of the grlat^s emptlea Itaelf Into the bottom
aecurea 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 crow^ds 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 Ton'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 OP 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
CoUing'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. Terr 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. Torres "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. Cator Waterloo 3d,
by Norfolk, from which Mr. Cator had Water
Witch, by 4th Duke of Northumberland (3649).
The last-named cow was bought by Mr. Torr in
1845, and from her a large and meritorious 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 Col. Towneley—
*Mr. Torr reirarded Bates* Dake of Northumberland (LMO) as the "best
Bhow bull" he ever saw. It Is related that he once went u> KlrkleTlnvton
to hire the 4th Duke of Northumberland, bellevin? him to be even a better
bull than the first Duke. An airreement 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 wilUngr to pay the price asked, but
could not permit such a restriction upon his use. At that time he had
mbout 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, sayinsr: "Very well, Mr. Bates, you have got your bull and I have
rot my money." It is recorded that Mr. Torr had expressed, alonff with
many other of Mr. Bates' visitors that year, an admiration for his three
cows by Whitaker'H Norfolk. These estimates did not meet with Mr.
B^UeH' approval, and he finally sold two out of tie three, to-wit.: Blaneb»
Id and Waterloo 3d, as some alleged 'to Bret rid of the eul0ff>.*
-25
5 I
a; -
o ^
»-4
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 HBIFBB8.
Bright Empress, roan, calved July 19, 1871; got by liOrd
Napier (26688) out of Bright Queen by FitSt-Clarence
(14552)— Started at $5,000, sold to T. C Booth, Warlaby .112,914
Bright Saxon, roan, calved' Feb. 22, 18?2; 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 (20883) out of Clarence Flower by Fitz-Clarence
(14652)-Rev. T. Staniforth 8,968
Riby Marchioness, roan, calved March 81, 1875; got by
Knight of the Shire (26552) out of Riby Peeress by
Breastplate (19887)— Mr. Crosby of Ireland 7,583
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
Brjffht Baroness, roan, calved Aug. 21, 1870; got by Lord
%apier (26G88) out of Bright Countess by Breastplate
(19837)— 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 6,081
Heather Flower, roan, calved July 10, 1871; got by LorJ
Napier (26688) out of Highland Flower by Mountain
Chief (20382)-Rev. Mr. Staniforth 5,978
504 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
Briirht Dowager, red, little white, calved Nov. 12, 1878; got
by Duke of York (28804) out of Bright Queea by Fitz-
Clarence (14B52)—B. St. John Ackers $4,813
Riby Pearl, white, calved Jan. 1, 1874; got by Knight of the
Shire (26652) out of Riby Peeress by Breastplate— Hugh
Aylmer ! 4,64S
Bright Jewe), roan, calved Feb. 1, 1874; got by Knight of
the Shire (26562) out of Bright Spangle by Prince of
Warlaby (15107) -T. C. Booth 4,633
Flower of Germany, red, calved April 18, 1860; got by
Breastplate (19S37) -T. H. BiiUer 4,543
Lowland Flower, roan, calved April 12, 1871 ; got by Manfred
(26801)-B. St. JTohn Ackers 4,782
Foreign Queen, roan, calved March 7, 1878; got by Blink-
hooUe (28428) out of Foreign Empress by Fltz-Royal
(26167)— Mr. Crosby of Ireland 4,812'
Bright Queen, red-and-white, calved July 19, 1864; got by
Fltz-Clarence (14552) out of Bright Princess— Lady
Pigot 4,484
Riby Empress, red, calved Nov. 4, 1872 ; got by Duke of
York (28804) -J. W. & E. Cruickshank, Scotland 4,484
Flower Alpine, red-and-white, calved Oct. 11, 1870; got by
Lord Napier (26688) -Mr. McCuUoch, Australia 4,244
Fair Saxon, red-and-wbite, calved March 11, 1860; got by
Breastplate (I98S7)— B. St. John Ackers 4,135
Flower of Holland, red, little white, calved Aug. 8, 1871;
got by Breastplate (19337)— Mr. Wardle 4,065
Riby Lassie, red, calved May 7, 1860; got by Blinkhoolie
(23428) out of Riby Countess-T. C. Booth 8,79«
Riby Peeress, roan, calved Sept. 18, 1865; got by Breast-
plate (19337) out of Riby Queen— T. C. Booth 8,587
Bright Swede, roan, calved July 28, 1874; got by Lord Cain
(31630) out of Bright Saxon-Mr. Wilson 8,587
Flower of Belgium, roan, calved June 17, 1872; got by Royal
Prince (27394) -Mr. Phillips »»587
Foreign Beauty, roan, calved Feb. 26, 1875; got by Knight
of the Shire (26552)-Hugh Aylmer 8,108
Warluck, red, calved Feb. 26, 1871 ; got by Lord Napier
(26688) out of a Waterloo dam— Mr. McCuUoch, Aus-
tralia 3,108
Flower of the Rhine, roan, calved June 12, 1874; got by
Knight of the Shire (26552) -Sir William S. MaxweU. . . 3,049
A GOLDEN AGE. 50>
Mountain Vale, red-and-white, calyed Feb. 14, 1809; got by
Blinkhoolie (28428)— Mr. Wilson $8,079
BULLS.
Riby Knight, roan, calved April 14, 1874; got by Knight of
the Shire (26652) out of Riby Lassie by BUnkhoolie
(28428)-J. Marshall of New Zealand 4,185
Fandango, roan, calved July 6, 1872 ; got by Royal Prince
(27884) out of Flower of Germany by Breastplate (19887)
-Sir William S. MaxweU 4,185
Balmoral, roan, C3blved Feb. 17, 1875; got by Knight of the
Shire (26652) 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 (26652) out of Lady Adah by KUlerby Monk
(20068)-^. H. Pickrell, Harristown, IlL, U. S. A 8,848
72 females sold for 1215,585.80; an average of 12,994.25
13 bulls sold for 27,568.27; 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. In 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 w^ere 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. Low man & 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 Dppermill; but of these
more anon.
Another Benick 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 11th, 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 Elkhom (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 8H0BT-H0BN OATTLB.
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 Sd 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 8d—W. H. Riohardson, Kentucky €3,800
Pretty MiB8 Prim— George M. Bedford, Kentucky 2,400
Georgia Hillhur8t--0. M. Clay, Kentucky 9,060
Acacia— E.G. Bedford, Kentucky 1,000
Georgia Clarence— E. L. Davison, Kentucky 1,900
Lady Seraphina 6th— John R. Craig» Canada 1,600
Surmise Duchess 0th— T. J. Megibben, Kentucky 1,696
Lady Seaham of Roeeneath— W. A W. Pickrell, Illinois 1,600
Brunette 8d— J. W. Burgess, Kentucky 1,936
tJna— J. G. Kinnaird, Kentucky 1,996
Cateress— H. C. Hutchcraf t, Kentucky 1,996
Duke of Wotton 9d—E. L. Davison, Kentucky 1,986
Bohemian Knightley— E. G. Bedford, Kentucky 1,060
Alpha— H. P. Thomson 1,060
Water Girl— W. L. Grimes, Kentucky 1,000
Asalea 9d—W. N. Offutt, Kentucky 1,000
Closing eyents 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 AGS. 509
of J. R. Craig, Col. J. B, Taylor and Sumner &
Hilton was held, at which Mr. Cochi-ane 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 oflBce 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 OP 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 pric/es 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 .Woodbubn-Brbd 10th DUCHESS OF AIRDRIE.
Who»4 deacendanl» told for sums aggregating Marly $900,ooo.
IMP. MAID OF HONOR.
Bred by T, Qarne; imported 1873 by the late Simon Beattit,
THB TUEN OP THB TIDE. 511
sketch the most noteworthy events daring 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 Globej 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 OATTLB.
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 coni^t^ 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 duiring 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 Eentuclcy sales Mr. Brown com-
mented in the most complimentary terms upon the excellence of the Ren-
Ick Rose of Sharons, his expression ordinarily belnv: *' A praad lot of cat>
tie; but they ought to beT* A Kentucklan finally asked the Canadian visi-
tor what he meant hy the latter part of his remark. He replied In
Yankee fashion by asking the question: *' How many acres In Mr. Renlck's
farm?'* He was Informed: "Mr. Benlck's estate consists, air, of about
S^fiOO acres of the best blue-crass land In Central Kentucky, sir.** To which
Mr. Brown rejoined: " I believe that ^reat body of land carries only a herd
of 100 cattle. We have had at Bow Park 3G0 head upon 800 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 HI8T0BT OP SHORT-HORN OATTLB.
arrival that his first idea was to return him to
England and have him. resold. Fortunately fof
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 4tb
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 wafi 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. 615
stock-getter but was also shown with success
at Cleveland (Ohio), Toronto and London in
1878 and 1879. lie 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-
tie 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. Plynn took Roan Princess at $3,900. Bus-
sing bought Lucy Napier at $2,475, and Minnie
Annandale 2d for $2,500. For Loudon's Minnie
D. Wilson of West Liberty gave $2,550. For
Nelly Bly 7th Rigdon Huston of Illinois paid
$1,975. The bull Oxford of Springwood fetchec^
$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 8d, 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
WinlBeld 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, III., 11,060 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
ft 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 HoUoway and Countess- of Ox-
ford 4th at $1,500 to James N. Bro.wn's Sons.
On the following day Messrs. Spears, lies, et a/.,
sold at Springfield ; Harvey Sodowsky paying
$l,600.for Airdrie Bloom, and Winslow Bros, of
Kankakee $1,025 for Prairie Blossom.
Col. HoUoway's big average. — On May 25
Col. Robert HoUoway 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 TUEN OF THE TIDE. 517
Sharon of Durham Lawn. The next was $3,925,
paid by F. J. Barbee of Kentucky for Loudon
Duchess 15th. For the bull imp. Oxford Beau
2d the West Liberty breeders gave $3,800. For
1st Rose of Sharon of Durham Lawn John
Hope, then in business at Markham, Ont., gave
$3,200. For the Princess cow 4th Tuberose of
Brattleboro George Otley paid $3,025. For
Roan Duchess 7th of Bow Park Streeter gave
$3,250. For 11th 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 $1,426 for
the bull Grand Airdrie 19894. Mr. Pogue of
Kentucky gave $2,500 for Geneva Duchess of
Goodness.
On the following day W. B. Dodge sold at
Chicago; the highest price obtained being
$1,800 for the 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 thQ famous
Garne-bred Murray cow imp. Maid of Honor at
$1,525 and imp. Nectar at $1,000. At a sale
from the herd of Nelson Jones next day Pliny
Nichols of West Liberty gave $1,050 for 2d Red
Rose of Woodside, and P. A. Coen, Washburn,
ni., paid $1,000 for Baron Bates 4th.
518 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HOBN 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 G. 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.
^Yilliams 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-
THB TURN OF THE TIDE. 519
ess of Springwood, and $1,000 from 8. W.
Jacobs of Iowa for Mazarka 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 Thomdale.— 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. NiccoUs 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 8d at
$4,050, and Oneida Belle at $2,000. At a sale
made by B. J. Qay, 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 8H0BT-H0RN CATTLK.
$1,425 for Roan Dachess 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. T., at $4,000. At Bush & Hamp-
ton's sale Abner Strawn of Illinois gave $2,050
for Geneva Rose. At J. V. Grigsby's ho less
than thirteen head sold in the four figures; the
Haniiltons 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 Haniiltons. In connection with
Ayres & McClintock's sale August Whitman
sold two Princesses (Tuberoses) to T. L. Mc-
Kc^n 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 SHOBT-HOBN OATTLB.
Pickrell & Kissinger. — In the early spring
of 1877 Messrs. J. H. Pickrell and J. H. Kissin-
ger pooled their valuable Short-hom 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. Pickreirs 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 lbs., 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 THB TIDB. 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.
Pickrell's, bought in 1869. Among these was
Caroline Airdrie (Vol. IX, p. 519), which was
sold in 1871 to Thomas S. Page of California
for $1,800. From 1870 to 1872 he made 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-
tiy. 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. McClellan 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, $1,000 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 Linwood, 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
526 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
Duchess of Airdrie for 115,000, and the 21st
Duke of Airdrie was knocked down to William
Babcock of Canton, III, at |8,000. On Jun6* 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
gold Kirklevington Duchess 8th to U. J. Han-is
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
628 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN OATTUS.
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
live success in America durinsr this period largely to the fact that Ameri-
can buyers at that time insisted, as a rule, upon fine style and Anlsh. The
Booths, more especially the bulls, were somewhat inclined to roughness
about their heads, having been bred more for flesh and constitution tlun
for refinement. A^ain they ran strongly toward ll^ht colors. Another
reason was found in the fact that quite a number of the hirh-prlced 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-
hui-st.
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 s
ffenuine International Interest attached. While no American bidders were
present the occasion stirred the British Short-horn breedlner fraternity to
Its very dei»ths. Senator Cochrane had shrewdly baited his hook to attract
the heavy-welvhts 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>
bUnffton Mook-a-laj,** appeared in the London IAn»-8todc JounuU^ from
which we make the followlnir excerpts:
**Blgh on his break sits Bective; meek near the rln^ stands Torr.
While Stanlforth with Loder hold with AUsopp friendly war;
There is Crosbie from wild Kerry and Foster from Klllhow,
There is Salt from busy Bradford and Longman from 'The Bow;*
The rival strains commlnirle and forget their deadly hates.
As now the cry's for Booth blood and now a^ain for Bates.
But hark! the war commences, fitlr shines the sun upon
« The friendly lerlons marshalled by the wand of 'Honest John.*
At first the bids are modest, and the small men have their way.
Bat fiercer ^rows the struggle when the giant 'plungers* say.
A Duchess proudly walks the ring and 'thousands* fly like hall,
But Whittlebary scores the prise, the second of the sale;
The vales of Troutbeck rtnif with cheers and echo back the sounds
As HillhursVs 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 dlik
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,
Vor sturdy Booth is 'wanted* and quickly wins Its w«y.**
31
580 A HI8T0RT OF SHORT-HORN OATTLE.
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 TUEN 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. AUsopp for $9,500
10th Maid of Oxford to Earl Bective for $8,025
nth Maid of Oxford to H. Lovatt for $7,000,
and the 7th Duke of Gloster (39755) 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. AUsopp 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. AUsopp for
Cherry Grand Duchess 8th. On July 5 George
Fox made a sale at Elmhui-st Hall, at which
Allsopp gave $5,500 for 2d Cambridge Lady and
$3,500 for Geneva's Eirklevington 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 were everywhere disappointing.
No Short-horus 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 aitentton about fSbM
period was a suit for dama^ea brought by Hon. T. J. Me^bben aotoat B.
G. Bedford, both of Kentacky. The case grew out of the purohaae by Mr.
Megribben of Mr. Bedford's half ink^rest in the Duohees boll Duke of Wood-
land that had been dropped by the 4th Duchess of Oneida, pnTOhased K>inil7
by these srentlemen at the New York Mills sale for n^^NO. The 061f was
Imperfect— showinir but one teBticle— and proved impotent; hcnoe the suit.
The most eminent lawyero In Kentucky were enerared as oounsel, liwlwrtlny
the Hon. John G. Carlisle, W. C. P. Breckenridflro and others. Nearlj all the
leading Kentucky breeders of Short-horns were summoned to givs expert
testimony- The Jury disaflrreed, and at a second trial the result was stl^^
the same. On the third hearice Mr. Me«ibben secured Judcmeat for liJM<
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, Yocmgstown, 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 Bee-
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
684 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN 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 Fordham Duke of Ox-
ford and Grand Airdrie; and for ^ckrell &
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
to the individual character and quality of the
herd under his charge. At the Holker sale of
1878 Baroness Oxford 5th, by 5th Duke of
• Xr. T. C. Booth of Warlaby died m 187&
THE TURN OP THE TIDE. 535
Wetherby (31033), was taken by D. Mcintosh
at $13,300; Grand Duchess of Oxford 22d was
bought by W. McCulloch at 510,500; 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 Pitzhardinge
at $7,500, and the 46th Duke to the Earl of
Ellesraere 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. Hoi ford A. H. Lloyd paid
$4,050 for Winsome 12th; D. Mcintosh gave
$4,000 for Viscount of Oxford (40876), and AU-
Eopp 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-liORN 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 suflBcient 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 396
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 «o to Australia at $10,000. At Lord
THE TURN OK THE TIDE. 537
Dunmore's gale 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.
Loder 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 Recti ve paid $4,500 for
Thomdale 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, w^hich 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 $2,600 and Mr. Brbnson 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
* Tbe Hon. George Brown died In the spring of 1880; bis death reeuUinr
from a shot fired by one of the employes in the office of the Toronto OUbt.
Vh**. shooting resulted in a flesh wound from which blood-po<.sonlng aet 1&
THE TUEN OF THE TIDE. 5j5)
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 and 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. L 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-
levihgton 4th and Rowfant Peach from Sir
Curtis Lampson's; aBarriiigton heifer from H.
Lovatt's and the roan bull Knight of Oxford 2d
(39549), bred by R. P. Da vies. During this sea-
son Mr. Rumsey bought Airdrie Duchess 8th
from Avery & Murphy at a reported price of
5510,000.
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. DeOraff. who bought this cow Jointly with H. F. Brown,
was the owner of the beautiful estate known as Lake Eljsian Stock Fann,
near Janeeville, Minn. He was a bier, 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
ihe fraternity of American stock-breeders one of its most admirable charac-
ters.
THE TURN OP 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
sDid 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 oS
Airdrie Duchess 11th 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. Beriy 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-
meter was at this time in partnership with the
542 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN OATTLB.
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 Sbarons being knocked off at
prices ranging up to J3,000.
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 $1,270.
A new era at hand. — Another milestone in
Short-horn history had now been reached. The
preat 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 A Hamiltons had a few years prior to this sale a»
quired by purchase about one-half of Mr. Renick 'a herd, Includlnir quite a
Diim ber of 4th Duke of Geneva cowa.
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.
InjudiciouB 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. In
some herds they were mated with consummate
skill and judgment, and the original merit of
the stock was in these exceptional cases fairly
well maintained. Too often, however, these
unfortunate descendants of a noble ancestry
became the mere tools of speculators and the
victims 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 chan-
THE TURN OP THB 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.
EtUs 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 CATTLB.
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 occun-ed 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 tit to
stand for the credit of any breed at any time
in any place. Such isolated instances, how-
ever, ouly 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-HOBN 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 Buir' 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 stem 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 TJry, 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 countiy. Marsh and
moor-lands were transformed by drainage and
artificial fertilization. Some good grass fol-
lowed; and this, along with the "neeps"* and
•Colloauial Scotch for tumli».
552 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLB.
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 TlBlt to Aberdeenahlre In 189S the author was Bhown a fine
turnip field— on one of the farms held by Mr. William Duthle from the Barl
of Aberdeen— which, originally a peat bor. had been drained and reclaimed
at a cost to the tenant of about £80 per acre. Inasmuch as this sum (lUO)
represents about double the value in fee simp'.e of rood Ameriean farms,
this fact affords a fitting illustration of the expense and labor with whleh
many North of Scotland farms were adapted to the requirementa of sue
cesaful cattle-breedinc*
Scotland's sbarohino 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 OATTLB.
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 Ladykirk. — 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 lines 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 oirigin. 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.
Bennie 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 ol
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 Karnes,
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 f arminr of the Lothians is to this day a source of National pride
Id Scotland.
Scotland's searchinq 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 ^he base upo/i 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 bare been bonored witb a letter from Mr. Jobn Bennle on tbe
subject of bis stock from wblob we make tbe followlnir extract, confirma-
tory of Mr. Brown's account, and wblcb, in Justice to so enterprislnr and
skillful a breeder an Mr. Bennle, sbould be placed upon record: 'Tbe
prinolpal breed (be means amon^ tbe few wbo bare directed tbelr attention
to tbe breeding of cattle) Is Sbort-boms, or Teeswaters, wblcb were lntro>
duced by myself, barlnr selected tbem from Mr. Bobertson of Ladyklrk,
wbo. I bave no bealtation in saying, bad some of tbe best Sbort^boms In
tbe kingdom. I also bad two or tbree bulls of tbe best blood from tbe
County of Durbam. I bad tbree or four larye sales of stock wblcb were
attended by some of fbe most celebrated breeders in Bncland and Scoilana.
Bulls were bou^bt at from £60 to £130 eaob to ro aOO miles nortb and above
300 miles soutb.'
**Mr. Brown of DrylAW Hill, to wbom we are Indebted for some previous
remarks, informs us that about tbe years 1818 and 1819 tbe Sbort-bomed or
Tetewater breed of ?Le best and purest sort was Introduced into tbecountv
558 A jJISTOBT OF SHORT-HORN CATTLB«
Barclay of Ury.— The father of Shorfc-hom
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
of her 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. Bobertaon of Ladyklik and
which were descended In a direct line from those of Meaara. OoUinc of
DarllnfftoQ. Others were likewise brought from some of the moat cele-
brated atocka In the North of SUurland. For thla he aaja the oountr waa
Indebted to Mr. John Rennle, son of Mr. Gtoorve Bennie. The produce of
his stock is now spread over the count7t and as a proof of its mertta a bul-
lock bred by Mr. Bennie and fed by Mr. Boyne of Woodhall reoeiTed the
second prize at the Smithfleld Cattle Show in 18S1.
"Mr. Bennie obtained many prizes from the Highland and hia owndla-
trlct society. He has had many beaata that weighed from eirhty to one
hundred stone (imperial weight) when at two and a half or three yeara old;
and he once aold eighteen steers at two and a half yeara old which weighed
from elghty-flve to one hundred stone and for whJoh he reoelTed £0 per
bead.**— YouaU on OaUle^ page US,
Scotland's searching test. 659
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
oflScers' "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 '* throti^h on a wa^er of £1,000 from
liOndon to Aberdeen without leaving the box. It is aaid that on thta trip
the coach was " horaed " at two Bta^ee by Thorou^hbreda aa 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 aays I can drive back to London again starting in the mom.**
560 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN GATTLB.
"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 CoUings, 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 BiUy (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
b Cruickshank bad in their herd at SlttFton at one time sixty fe-
males desoended from cowb sired by Billy (Sl&l). In color be was a llrbt
roan, almost white, with broad forehead, eyes prominent and mild, boms
▼ery short and pointing toward his ears, carcass lengthy snd deep, on
short legs. He had also a very fine disposition. At eight years old his
llTC weight was S,S0O lbs., and his rlrth around the heart ei^bt feet four
inches. He was very heavy in front, but not so nest and rood in his hlnd-
Quarters. This description was glyen by Mr. T. F. Jamieson of BUon,
Aberdeenshire, in the London (Bnir*) £ive-fltoek Journal for May », IflBS.
80
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
Burfows 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
Eden,, 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 OP SHORT-HORN CATTLK.
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 breedinjar in 1837 by the purchase of
Capt. Barclay's Billy (3151), above mentioned,
and secured females from B. Wilson of Bra-
with, Fawkes of Famley 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
*McComl>i« of Tlllyfour, who knew Barclay well, says: ** Though he
remaine without a national acknowledgement of his merits, no man de-
served better of the farmers of Scotland, for he was their Arm 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 loag 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 flelds 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 bis bed in 18M; and in him the tenant
farmers of Scotland and the poor of his own neighborhood lost one of tholr
Destfrienua."
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. Craickshank, 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 Inverouhomery.
Speaking of these Fairfax heifers Mr. Jamieson,
to whom the author is indebted for niany 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 White Fairfax's sire and dam
were by Billy. The latter seemed to have put
constitution into everything he got."
In 1847 Hutcheson visited England in 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 startlDr." says Jsmleson, "a letter came
from Peterhead saying that Hutcheson'a ship, the Traveller, had arrived
from Davis Straits with a bumper cargo of oU. 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 Aberdonlans drove
through the Northern counties Inspecting the various herds. Mr. Crulck-
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 Walkerlngham. Knowing
the high spirits of his companion he dreaded that Hutcheson might take a
fancy for the same animal and be an opponent at the sale, but, as luck
would have It, Richard Booth came on the scene and carried Hutcheson off
with him to Warlaby, where he concluded the bargain for Fitz Leonard."
566 A HISTORY OF SHOBT-HOBN 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, 1S40, 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 aeveland Lad (3408) out of Duchess 50th.
This bull was followed by two others of Bates
blood— Young 4th Duke (9037) and 11th Duke
of York (11399); both bred by G. D. Trotter,
near Darlington. 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-
aud-white Brawith Bud — the highest-priced
animal at the Brawith sale of 1841, the oppos-
ing bidders being John Booth of Killerby arid
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 searchinq 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 CoUing'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
• Notwlthstandlnr the fact that the 9d Duke of Northumberland did not
make a i>articularly favorable impression in the Nbrih, it is apiwrent that
Grant Duff believed that the Kirklevin^ton blood would prove of value.
At the conclusion of his last annual eataloffue, issued (December* 1868) be-
fore his dispersion, we find the following:
"The sale of the late Barl Dude, 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 Kirklevinyton
blood, which, fortunately, had been already partially infused into the stock
of this district before the value in England exceeded all ordinary compe-
UUon.
"All the animals included' in the abore list, with the exception of two
eows (Star Pagoda and Man^ranese) and one bull not yet selected, are in-
tfsnded to be included in tbe displenish sale at Mains of Bden, on Wednes-
day, Mth May, 1864, when their present owner must cease to share in for<
warding that important branch of rural economy, namely, the rearing of
the best kinds of stock, but he trusts a fair and generous rivalry may pro-
long and far excel our present progrrf^sa in the Improvement of domestic
animals, which It has been his endeavor to aid and stimulate.**
570 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLB.
of Mr. Strafford, 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 Braid*' in bis delightful remlnlscenceB of Sootttsh flocks ana
herds, published under the title of " Field and Fern/* speaking of Buchan
Hero's victory at Berwick says: "One of his greatest admirers who had
his eye to a ' crack ' in the palings on that memorable day thus 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 naedootof 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.' '*
Scotland's SBABOHiNQ TEST. 571
Charles Tempei^t 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 v/ith 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 OP 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 (2^128). 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 dam
of Buchan Hero.
For a number of years home-bred bulls were
used, no less than five of which descended in a
direct male line from the bull Billy (SSSS) of
Scotland's searching test. 578
the Uiy 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 tit
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
fpuct, 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. Tho
Scotland's sbaechino 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 CRUICKSHANK OF SITTYTOJT.
To Ketton, Kirklevington, Killerby and Ayles-
by we have now to add the name of Sittytoa
Mr. Bates, the elder Booth and William Ton
did not survive to witness the crowning show-
yard and sale-ring triamphs of their favorites.
Amos Cruick8hank,."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 bis
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
(576^
AMOS CKUICKSHANK OF SITT^TON.
AMOS CRUICK8HANK OF 8ITTYT0N. 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 maiQtaining 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-
tijons 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
87
578 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN GATTLB.
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," 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 Ron-
nie of Phautassie 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 ORUIOKSHANE OF 8ITTYT0N. 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 forcmr
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 agricultuie, 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
itd 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 was not 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 0RUI0K8HANK 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 firet 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 andJocal 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 eflScient *' 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 brother
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, bat 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 briirht eyes, the sitarkle
of which denoted a high deirree of intelllffenee. 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 anything of Amos; even the genial ' Dmld * failed
to draw him. Anthony would discuss the merits of an animal in detail, be
it Short-horn or Clydesdale, and give aroason 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
perBonal 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 brooders. 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 iaiuitlve knowledge of what con-
AMOS 0RUI0K8HANK OF SITTYTON. 583
Anthony Cruickshank died in 1879 at the
age of sixty-six yeai-s. 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
Btituted a rood beast and the development of iliat which Is known as the
Cmickahank 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 derree to the fact that he was totally devoid of any sentimental no-
tions about 'blood' and pedUrree. 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 ezchan^e for an equal number from Sittyton. They had
splendid pedlrrees of rreat lenirth, with Boan Duchesses and I know not
what, all runninir 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 rood 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 Shor^hom8 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
JcmnuU.
584 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN OATTLB.
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
th^ 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 siitty 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 GRUIOKSHANK 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 lai^e
reduction of the herd. In the latter years of
Mr. Cruickshank's life he was tenant of about
600 acres, the herd numbering at the time the
last complete catalogue was issued 120 head.
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 drawn from widely
separated sources, and while Mr. Cruickshank
endeavored to adhere to one general ideal as
closely as possible, he was unable to collect a
cow herd which in point of uniform excellence
would satisfy his aspirations. Realizing that
the bull was the key to the situation, greater
attention was bestowed upon the selection of
sires than upon choice of females. Beginning
with bulls bought from Capt. Barclay, no stone
was left unturned for a quarter of a century to
obtain for service at 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 CRUIOKSHANK 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
appeamnce 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
*lfoComble in hlB InteresUn? little volume on ** Cattle and Cattle-Breed-
era'* saya: "Foremost among eminent breeders of Shori-homs in the
North at the present time are the Messrs. Cruickshank, Sittyton. Their
fame is European; they own the largreat herds of Short-horns In the world.
It is only necessary to name Fairfax Royal, Prince Edward Fairfax, Velvet
Jacket, Matadore, Lord Sackvllle, The Baron by Baron Warlaby, Master
Butterfly Sd, John Bull, Lancaster Comet, Lord Sarlan, Ivanhoe, Lord
Oarlles, Malachite, Windsor Augustus, Sir James the Rose and last, though
not least. Forth, to show the distinguished position their herd has taken.
SufBco it to Bay that no other breeder of Short-horns can claim having
owned such an array of flre^claas bulla.**
588 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLK.
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 0RUICK8HANK 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.
Yenufl 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 OP SHORT-HORN CATTLK.
Kinellar, was a son of Flora. The Venus fam-
ily was retained until the final dispersion of
the herd.
The family of ttimulus. — 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 Miraulus, 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
(85284), 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 dam of the famous
bull Barmpton Hero that did splendid servi(^e
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 ot Mimulus was never numerous at Sit-
tyton and exerted its influence upon the herd
mainly through Royal Duke of Gloster.
Ficotee 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 Geoige (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 OP SHORT-HORN OATTLB.
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 Banffshire 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 CRUICK8HANK 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 ut 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 /L 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 OP 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 Bennie
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, wae 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 Royal 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 CATTLlS.
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, spi-ang 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, Eilmeny 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 Cassar 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 CRUICK8HANK OP 8ITTYT0N. 597
still the quest for good material went od. 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. Boswell's 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 jl history of short-horn cattle.
Rose was considered the best combinatiou 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 Cdchineal, which,
bred to Princess RoyaPs 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 CRUICK8HANK OF 8ITTYT0N. 599
mother, but produced only two calves, one of
which was the fine sire Clear-the-Way (47604),
used at Caimbrogie 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 Victoriag.— 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 CATTLB.
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, IlL, in
* Although the Vlctoriaa had a pedUree runnlncr hack to " the heaatlfal
Lady Maynard '* of Charles Oolllnff's herd the ordinal females of this fam-
ily at Sittyton were not well liked by Amos Grulckshank. The old Sooths
Boswell, Mr. Jamieson, says: " I remember passing through the byres at
Sittyton one day many years agrO when we came upon a roan cow. * This,*
said Mr. GruickBhank, ' 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 croaaes of Cham-
pion of England blood that any bulls of the tribe were kept for servlee 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 CRUICK8HANK OP 8ITTYT0N. 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-
shauk 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 0EUI0K8HANK OP 8ITTYT0N. 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 Mom,
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 may be 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 OATTLK.
Duchesses of Gloster.— This sort, like the
VictoriaA, 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 Eari 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 OF 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 (59833). None of the Secret bulls were
used at Sittyton.
The Cicely sort.— In 1860 there was bought
from Mr. Morrison of Bognie an evenly-built,
low-legged, level-fleshed red cow, with white
marks, called 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' tine
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.
Ayalanche. — Contemporary with Crocus was
AMOS CRUICKSHANK OF 8ITTTT0N. 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 individnal, 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 Caesar 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 OP SHORT-HORN CATTLB.
Bruce of Inverquhomery. These daughters of
Violette were among the best cows of their
time at Sittyton.
The Loyelys. — 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 Eoses.— 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 0RUICK8HANK OF SITTYTON. 609
great herd manager, Joseph CalshaW, 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 identiflcatlon
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 histoiy, 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
Shortrhorn 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 fiidustry. 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 sUff 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 18M that Col. Towneley got through that rare Judge Mr. East-
wood of Whltewell, 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
Habback In her flecks," a daughter of the celebrated Barmpton Bose. The
610 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN OATTLB.
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 waa bred bj Mr. WaUly of Barmx>ton, near Darlington. She was full
of Robert Gollinr'a old Bed Boee blood, and waa a heaTj-bodied, broad-
ribbed, deep-mllklnr atrawberry roan.
** He whom the roda call Oulahaw,
And men on earth call * Joe,* "
waa under **Tom** Maaon at Sir Charles Tempeet'a when Barmpton Boae
waa bron^ht from the Walkerlnyham aale to Brouchton Hall, and her
buxom beauty made a deep impreaaion upon the ** future rreat " tralnar
and breeder. When a mere lad Culahaw betrayed an Irrepresalble enthu-
alaam for the **red. white and roana.** Upon one occasion he was aent
with a CQW that was to be bred to a bull at Whltaker'a, and the brlirhtneaB
of the boy and hla Intereat in the cattle ao attracted the attention of the
proprietor that he peraonally ahowed the youthful ambassador throoffh
the Oreenholme Herd in detail. That waa indeed a sreat day for** little
Joe.'* Would that all of thoae who have auoh opportunitlea would eTinoe
the aame dlapoaltion to encourage younr men who manifest a loTe for rood
cattle I
Col. Towneley waa a man of rreat wealth and many acres and engaced
Eastwood aa lila general manager. The latter waa fond of Klllerby and its
Short-homa, and after buying Buttercup hired from John Booth the boll
Jeweler (10K4), son of Necklace, ** a abort bull with a bad head and a light
neck, but with capital aidea and quality." Buttercup, aerved by thla bull
and weak from an attack of ** foot-and-mouth,** and her half-sister Beaale,
another daughter of Barmpton Boss, in calf to Laz's Duke (90B). were in-
cluded in the lot that went to Towneley in IMS. The former dropped But-
terfly and the latter the great stock bull Frederick (11480)— the pair from
whence came those ahow-yard monarcha Maater Butterfly (Uni) and Boyal
Butterfly (16881).
After haying aerved a long apprenticeahip under Xason at Sir Charles
Tempeat'a C^ilahaw waa hired by CoL Towneley in IM8. He had been with
Mr. Ambler, the breeder of the celebrated Grand Turk (UHB), for the pre-
Tioua eighteen montha, and while there had taken Senator to the Boyal
and defeated Mr. Bates* M and 8d Dukes of Oxford. Jeweler went with the
Baatwood cowa to Towneley, and aoon afterward the Booth-bred Lord
(George (1048»)— aon of Birthday and sire of Sd Duke of Athol in the Airdrle
Ducheaa pedigree— followed.
The opportunity that (hilahaw had ao long deaired was now presented.
He had under his control at Towneley a rare good lot of cows selected hr
Mr. Eastwood and Mr. Strafford. He waa keen to try conclusions with the
beat breeders and flttera of the realm at a time when ahow-yard enthualaam
had been fanned into a fierce flame largely through the triumpha of the
Booths. With the active sympathy and aupport of hia employers Culahaw
charged the entire line of oppoaition with one of the most admirably
AMOS ORUICKSHANK OF 8ITTTT0N. 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 tell, and with her rich loins, beautiful bosom and won-
derful quality walked through the show-rlnffs of her time almost without
defeat She had six Uring calres, and after her frame was bent with age
popoduced Royal Butterfly that was seen te 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 1868 that Butterfly gave birth to the world-
famous roan Master Butterfly. After winning firsts and championships
over all Britain, and heading the great Gtold Medal herd shown at the Parts
Exposition of 1066, he was sold at the then extraordinary price of 1,100
guineas for export to Australia. Beauty's Butterfly was one of the most
noted of the winners and after gaining Soyal honors, won at the London
Sm.thfleld Fat-Stock Show, and returned to fresh triumphs in the breeding
rings the following year, earning for Culshaw a characteristic recognition
from Pumeh 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 1860 to 186« they were constantly seen at
the leading exhibitions of England, Scotland and Ireland, winning upward
of 110,000 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 identifled 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 mussle 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 winaers. 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, G^eorge 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
OoL Gunter."
A second herd was begun by CoL Towneley shortly after the dispersion
of the original stock in 1861. 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 CATTLK.
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. M^ 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 ^reat prices for his pets at private treaty.
Douglas of Athelstaneford gave fiOO guineas for Ringlet, that became the
dam of his 600-gulnea Queen of Athelstane. For Frederlca and lAlla Rookh
Mr. Thome paid 700 guineas. The former had been the flrst-prize yearling
at the Iiewes 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 Shortrhom 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 £600 and the bull Royal Butterfly 11th £100 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 Derty
winner, and the "king buir' of his day. Royal Butterfly, were in fhe Towne-
ley stables at the same date. Eastwood and Culshaw owned Bntierfly,
winner of The Oaks and other races, adding to the herdsman *b bank ac-
count not less than 810,000. "Joe" had named the flUy ^*after *taald eoo.**
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
Al)erdeen 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 Layenden. — 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 notted Nottingham herd. A few of the
Hebes were finally obtained from Messrs. Dud-
614 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
ding of Panton, 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 ORUIOKSHANK OF 8ITTYT0N. 615
has to its credit in recent years in England the
production of Mr. Deane Willis' 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 well 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 OATTLK.
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 ORUIOKSHANK OP 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 Button, 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.
Unthank, 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 Ravensworth (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 CBUICKSHANR OF 8ITTYT0N. 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 1861 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 Matadors
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 CRUIOKSHANK OF 8ITTYT0N. 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 diflSculty was experienced
in getting him to serve properly and after a
short time he was sold to Mr. R. A. Alex-
ander, who impoi-ted 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 (16173).— 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 Bathui-st was roan and had inher-
ited white legs from his dam he was sold to
Mr. Stronach of Ardmeallie, in whose hands he
proved a remarkable getter. He met with an
accident, however, and had to be killed after
one season's use. Before leaving Sittyton he
had been bred to several heifers and two of his
females, Violet and Vintage, grew into good
cows and were excellent breeders. Violet 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
sou 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 Shows 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 sou 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 yeai-s
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 Brandshy
AMOS CRUICK8HANK OP 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 detained. 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
* Speaklnir ot John Bull, Jamleaon says: " He was a very lexurtby ani-
mal, not too well lot down, tender on his feet and walked very slow. A
worthy neighbor, Mr. Phillip of Boynds, watchlnflr him on one oooaslon 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.* " •
t Mr. Miller, who was in Great Britain in 1856 buying Short-horns, says:
" This was the time that I oug^ht to have sent out Lord Bairlan 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 £6, 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 twd years old and impressed me
as being one of the «iitetanftal 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 iu 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 Jsles (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 tiot reap as
much benefit from the use of Lord Raglan as
he had anticipated. Notwithstanding this fact
AMOS 0RUICK8HANK 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.
Fii-st, 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 f uraish 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 CATTLB.
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 aad was
somewhat inbred, both his sire — The Queen's
Boan (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 tbem
called Camelia made a fine yearling and two-
year-old, but was disappointing at 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 OP 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 8ITTYT0N. 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 haylnflr seen the ChAm>
plon's dam, tnit one day when goljog throuirh the byree 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 ^ood-sised red animal, with plalnlsh 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 ths
highest-priced bulls ever bought for service
in the herd. He was used during the seasons
of 1863 and 1864, but Amos Cruickshank never
liked him and did not retain many of his 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
Bcale 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 "ci-ack" 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,
A^OS ORUIOKSHANX 07 SITTTTON. 633
a rich coat of hair, great girth of body, with
rib^ 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 and 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 CaBsar (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 succunibecl to
AMOS GBUIOKSHANK OF SITTTTON. 685
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 (80812), Scotch Rose (25099)— out of
the famous Rosedale; Knight of the Whistle
(26558), Master Darlington (37067), Meridian
(38746), Ravenshope (22681), and General Wind-
636 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN OATTLK.
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 Victorine would alone suflice
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.
AJiOS CR0I0K8HANK 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 OP 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 Csesar
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 Baglan;
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 cX)w 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 OF 8ITTYT0N. . 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 factoi-s 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
Btawith Bud or Pure Gold tribe.
CsBsar 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 8ITTYT0N.
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
Royal 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:
Boral Dake of Gloster
(29804).
^PrinoeM Royal.
Grand Duke of Glos-
ter (20288).
Chttmpiof^ of Engkuid
9th Duchess of Glos-
ter, by Iiord Raglan
ICimuluB.
(13S44).
fChamjdon of England
(/76^).
Mistletoe, by Lord
I Raclan (18244).
( Lancaster Comet
(11068).
Virtue, by Plantaga-
Carmine.
I net (11«
( The Czar (80047).
< Oessida,
I by John Boll (11018).
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 OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
miDor 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:
8
Pride Of th^ J
Isles (36072)
SooUand*8 Pride (25100).
^Custard.
Oolden Days.
Royai Duke of Gloster
(29804).
Princess RoyaL
1 Grand Monarque (21807).
by Champion of England.
IjOYely 8th.
J Lord Ra«rlan (13244).
iPureGtold.
I Grand Duke of Gloster
(20288),
by Champion of England.
Mimulus,
by Champion of England,
f Champion of England
I Carmine,
I 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 well as their inspiration.
While Amos Cruickshank must therefore be
called the real leader of the line of Short-horn
progression in Scotland, passing notice should
be taken of the work of some of his 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, Longraore
of Rettie, Mark Stewart of Southwick, the
Bruces of Inverquhomery and Burnside, Syme
of Red Kirk, Mitchell of Alloa, Sylvester Camp-
bell of Kinellar, William S. Marr of Uppermill,
John W. and Edward Cruickshank of Lethenty,
and Duthie of Colly nie. 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
Bolden's breeding, out of Bridecake, w^as next
bought and fitted as a member of the herd sent
for exhibition at Paris in 1856, at which '^how
he w^as 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
Athelstene, 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 Einellar.— 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 fanner 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. Jamiesou
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 Bamsdens 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
TathwoU 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-born of either sex on exhibition. Thes-
652 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN OATTLK.
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, Hillhead 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 day. 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," wJis 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 emjjhasize 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 opemtions 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
H '
OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HBBD8. 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- *
deenshire breeders of Short-horns, entered
upon the farm of Uppermill in 1833. It is sit-
uated in the same district as Sittyton, Shethin,
Collynie 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 land had to be reclaimed
at great expense, and it was not until about
1851 that he was able to turn his attention to
Short-horns. His first purchases were made in
the North of England, but with one notable
exception the original investment proved 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 fine cow and a grand
milker." Crossed with such bulls as Heir of
"Englishman (24122) and Cherub 4th (33359),
both of Lord Sudeley's Semphina sort, the
Maudes developed into one of the strongest of
Mr. Marr's tribes.
The MiBBies. — 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-
litic, 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 (31118), 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
Colly nie, 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 FrinceBB EoyalB.— 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 Bed 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 BesBies.— 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 Royal Dublin. He was
sold at auction in Buenos Aires for £650, and
one of his sons (Farrier) was recently sold in
Argentine by the Messrs. Nelson for £l,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 OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
ily have been imported to the United States
and Canada.
The EmmaB.— 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 GoldioB.— 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 1868, 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
XJppermill and rendered valuable service.
Goldie was fed for exhibition at the Smith field
Show in London, where she was a prize-winner
after having produced four calvas. She was
regarded as one of the best Short-horn cows of
her time, and some of the best of all the XJp-
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 Colly nie at 140 guineas.
He was sirtd 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 XTppermill. — 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 CATTLB.
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 lirst 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
OTHBR 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 Goldie and was used for a time by the late
Mr. Duthie. He is said to have been a very
grand red bull, possessing great width and
depth. One branch of the Missies traces
through Missie 20th, by Gold Digger. He was
followed by the Highland Societ/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 Uppermill
iu 1869 at four years of age. He was bred by
6. R. 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 rehowned family of that name.
He was a roan, showing pronounced Short-
horn character, great substeince, 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 OP SHORT-HORN CATTLB.
double the sum given for the bull by the Sitty-
ton management. Heir of Englishman gave
the Uppermill herd its first great popularity.
His progeny were eagerly sought by foreign
buyers and were easily recognized on account
of their singular uniformity. It is doubtful if
any bull ever used in Aberdeenshire left a
greater impress upon North Country Short-
horn breeding. He was used at 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 seveml 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 Sudeleyand sired by Manda-
rin (29269) out of Booth's Seraphina by Baron
OTHER NORTH COUNTRY HERDS. 665
Booth (21212), the sire of Mr. Pickrell's 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 (47369).— 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 (60694). — 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 XTppermill. — 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 H£RDS. 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 proportio;is 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 SHORT-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 was 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 outeross 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 il
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 CATTLB.
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 Sitty ton 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 CoUynie 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.
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. 6. 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 yeai-s 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 blocd 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 Wm. 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 OP 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
Kii'k breeding, a remarkably thick-tieshed, 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 conceminir earlier importations Into Canada from England
inay here bo of Interest:
One of the first Importations into the Dominion was that of Mr. Row-
land Winfffield, who brought out in 1883 and in 1838 six cows and heifers and
the white bull Toung Farmer 62d. Three of the females, Lilly, by Warden
1568: Dairymaid, by Warwick (2815); Pedigree, by Mynheer (2845), 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 (2M7), and Cherry, by a son of St. Albans (2584), together with
the bull Agrlcola (1614). The latter was sold to go to New York. Beauty
and Cheriy were both roans from the herd of James (Hirlsp 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 Holdemess 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 18IA 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 Terr's breeding.
Notwithstanding these investments 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 (128M), 'mainly of Balne*a breeding. Some years later Mr. Wade also
imported a white cow, Newham Lily, bred by Mason Hopper from Belle
viUe (6778), and the roan bull Sir Charles Napier (ISTIS), of same breedioff
From 1864 to 1866 F. W. Stone of Moreton Lodge, Ouelph, Ont., made six
importations, aggregnting 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, B. Bowly, CoL Klngscote, H.
Ambler, etc Included in these shipments were the bulls John o' Gaunt Sd
(13089), Friar John (13905) and the 11th and 13th Dukes of Oxford, the Utter
sired by the Bates bull 6th Duke o( Oxford (12766), but not tracing to that
tribe on dam*s side. Among the cows was the roan Margaret, by Snowball
8003, 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 (1296»).
These selections proved very valuable to the cattle interests of Canada,
and Mr. Stone made further large importations from England from URO to
1878.
In 1800 Dr. G. H. Phillips of Prescott imported five heifers and two bulls
from Ireland, one of the latter being Master McHale 6948, all of Booth
blood. In 1808 the Quebec Agricultural Society brought out the two heifers
Statesman's Daughter 3d and Princess, bred by J. Harward of Winterfold,
and the buU Oxford Gwynne 12561, bred by Chas. Howard of Blddenham.
In 1871 John Snell & Sons of JBdmonton imported the roan bull British
Baron 13557, bred by Col. Towneley, and in 1874 the Booth-bred Knight of
the Rose 38646. In August, 1871, R. J. Stanton of Thomhill imported five
heifers from the herd of Mr. Fawkes of Fameley Hall, and the bull Baroo
Mild Eyes from the herd of Col. Gunter. A second shipment was made hr
Mr. Stanton in 1874 of three heifers from the Scotch herds of Messrs. J.
Whyte, J. Gordon and E. Binnle.
Jno. B. Craig of Edmonton Imported in 1874 the red heifer Buphemlaand
heifer calf, bred by B. Stratton ; the cow Lady LeMoor, bred by T. Maynard,
and the roan heifer Waterloo J., bred by Sir W. G. Treyeljan of Northmn-
berland. In 1881 Mr. Craig received from the famous herd of Iiord Polworth
of Mertoun House, St. Bosweirs, eleven heifers and seven balls, all Booth-
topped.
Between 1874 and 1877 Mr. Jno. Hope imported for aoeount 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, altbooffh his first shipment, made In 1874, oontslned several Booths
from the herd of Raymond Bmere. In 1876 the Canada West Farm Stock
Association, reference to which Is made on iMUre 611, made heavy importa-
tions, chiefly of Bates blood, from leading English herds.
Between 187ft and 1880 Prof. Q. Lawson imported some twenty-five head,
representing a wide range of English blood, for the Oentral Board of Agrl-
qultore of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
In 1876 Thomas Bosk of Milton Imported the roan cow Farewell and her
ball calf from the herd of Kobt. Thompson of Inglewood, whose subse-
quent successes In the English show-yard with the great Mollle MiUicent
and other noted prise winners gave his stock great celebrity. Along with
this Thompson cow came the roan bull Duke of Cumberland (fiSSW).
In 1879 Wm. Linton of Aurora, received from the Linton herd «k Sheriff
Button, Toikshire, England, the cow Rachel, heifer calf Sheriff Hutton
Rose and the young bull British Hero (88S06) ; both of the latter sired by the
famous Sir Arthur Ingram (SII90). In 1888 he received from the same source
the cows Snowdrop and Fame 9d.
Between 1870 and 1881 Messrs, J. & B. Hunter of Alma, made several im-
portations of Booth-bred cattle from the herds of Hugh Aylmer and T. B.
Pawlett. We believe they also Imported one Cruickshank heifer in the
earlj ** seventies,*' and they also had from J. Whyte of Aberdeenshire, the
Booth bull Knight of Warlaby 90168.
In 1881 the Government of St. John's, New Brunswick, imported a half-
dosen 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 1888 W. Murray of Chesterfield, made several shipments
from England, including Grand Duchess of Oxford 69th and 6th Duke of
Holker (44687) from the herd of the Duke of Devonshire. Mr. Murray's Im-
portations represented the best Bates tribes.
. Mr. H. T. Attrill, a capitalist with large business Interests in the United
States and Canada, and the owner of a farm at Goderlch, Ontario, imported
in 1881 Grand Duchesses a8th and USth, bred by R. E. Oliver of Sholebroke
Lodge, and the roan Bates Duchess bull 5th Duke of Tregunter (3874S). In
1883 he imported two Grand Duchesses of Oxford, one Baroness Oxford, one
Winsome Wild Byes and a Barrlngton from the herd of the Duke of Devon-
shire.
Richard Gibson made extensive Importations of Bates cattle from 1881
to 1888, meet of which we^ 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 McGillivray
of Williamstown, consisting of the jed cow
Honesty, by Procurator (10657) out of Fidelity
by Prinze 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 OP SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. 677
law, Mr. Campbell of Kinellav. 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 OF SHORT-HORN OATTLB.
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 mo^t
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 OP 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 T. 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-
em 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 impoi-tation 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-HOBN CATTLE.
ton cattle into that prominence which they
have ever since held in this country. It w)as
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
John'M. 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 Seattle 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 OP 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
Halkerston, 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 OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
sold to William Stewart of Franklin Grove, IlL
and produced the bull Champion of the West
13632, afterward sold for $1,000. Stewart sold
the cow to John Haley Spears of Meuard 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 Snell's
sale of 1874 she was bought by Messrs. A. H. &
I. B. Day of Utica, la., owners of one of the
most noted show herds of the early ^'seventies,"
at $1,125, and in their hands added fresh luster
to the Aberdeenshire fame in the New World.
Her red-roan heifer of 1871, Golden Drop 4th
by Sir Christopher (22895), also imported by
Mr. Thompson, possessed much of her mother's
merit. She was sold to Mr. George F. Wastell
of Port Huron, Mich. Mr. Thompson also im-
RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. 688
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 Abbottsbum
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 CoUard
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 8tli 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 12,500 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. LockHdre Bays of this ImU: " Lord Strathallan was a nearly aoUd
red, not a dark red, but what might be called a roMen red, of great eeale.
welffhlny In fair show condition %,4M lbs., and could aaaily have been made
to weigh 2.500 Iba. 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-ai>runr riba, wide In the
chest, with the most remarkable derelopment of brisket I ever saw in a
bull. He was good. In twist and thigh, a little light In flank, aad not so long
of hip as the rules of proportion require, perhaps, but compensated foi
that defoct by extra width at that point He had a beautiful heal, set on a
neck clean and small at the throaMateh, swelling in aymmetrieal lines inio
the great chest. His horn wn short and flat, thick at the base and on a
level with the top of the head. The carriage of the boll waa auperU I do
RISE OF SCOTCH POWER IN AMERICA. 685
heifers, iucluding 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 erefr saw anythlcr quite eqaal to It. So rood a Judire as Davy
Grant once said of him on the show ground that If he possessed the Instru-
ments and skill of the sculptor he oouldnH carve a more perfect front. He
impressed his Qualities upon his heifer calres in a much larger decree than
upon his bull calves. All his heifers were very like him, but his bull
proffeny 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. Masout Towneley, Douglas, Knightley, Booth
and Crulekshank all contributed in more or less degree to the constitution
of his blood lines.**
686 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
ranning on the dam's side to imp. Esterville.
She proved a good investment In 1862 he
purchased from George Miller of Mark ham 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
Sittytx>n.* 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.
* JuBt before the dispersion sale of the famous herd of Grant Doff of
Eden was announced In 1858, Mr. Davidson wrote to his friend and relative
Mr. Jamleson, Mr. Duff's overseer, for a price on a rood yearlinir heifer. He
was advised that the price would be 40 ffuideaa. Instead of sending the
money direct, Mr. Davidson forwarded a draft to a near relative, with ia-
Btructions to procure and ship the heifer. The recipient of the moneji
however, took it upon himself to decide, that the price waa too high a«i
determined to wait and execute the order at the sale. In order that Mr.
Davidson's a^nt mi^rht not make any mistake and bid on the wrong ani-
mal, Jamleson airreed 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 60 guineas and in a few minutes was going
at lOU guineas, the order was never filled. This proved a coetly interfer-
ence with Mr. Davidson's plans, as a granddaughter of the heifer in ques-
tion (Venus, by Grand Duke, Vol. XI, B. H. B.) during the ** boom " d%ye
of the Beventies commanded the great price of VMOO at a sale made bi7
Edward lies at Springfield. UL
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 lai^e
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 OP 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, MofiEatt and their contempo-
raries profited largely by the admirable oppor-
tunity presented by Mr. Davidson's extensive
operations in Sittyton Short-horns.
Hon. Jolin 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
690 A HISTORY OP 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 11,875.
Mimulus prodaced 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 Bannpton 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 aa 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 OP SHORT-HOEN 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 inclnded 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 oows 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. EM. 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 oows 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 oonyenation with Mr. Edwards a few days ago he
stated that this was the most successful hull 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 lo
the ground and of great breadth and splendid heart room. They
always deceived every one who undertook to guess their weight.
Some of the other animals of the herd which looked very much
larger could not bring: down the scales near to either of them. Of
the Jessie family, represented by the cow Roseberry, bred at 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 Statii-a 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 Brace of Barnside 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, Fi-ancis Green of Innerkip made an
important impoitation, 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 Roseberi7
from the herds of Messrs. Duthie and Marr re-
spectively. Beginning with 1878 and continu-
ing until 1882, Mr. George Whitfield shipped
Bias OF 600T0H POWMt lH AMERICA. 697
out to his farm at Rougemont, Quebec, some
fifty 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 OP 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—
A mos 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
•Onmge Blossom 18th undoubtedly owed her extraordinary merit Teiy
larvely to her aire. Viceroy, that was got by Champion of Bnvland out of
the great show cow Violet's Forth. The bull Knlg>ht of the Whistle that
aired her dam was a ro%n, bred by Mr. Foljambe "Df Osberton Hall, and got
by the Booth bull Knight of the Garter (81082). It wUl be noted that the
second dam was sired by the Booth bull Prince Imperial (S3606). Notwith-
standing- this fact, Mr. Cruickshank always claimed that his herd nerer
received the benefit he had anticipated from the Booth blood. Sia experi-
ence with Bites blood, as it came in through cows purchased for the herd,
did not induce him to place a very hi^h estimate upon that for his par-
poses. As we must accept his Judgment upon both of theee point»— so far
as it applies to his own work^arrived at after careful trial. It aeema clear
that Orange Blossom ISth derived her excellence from her alre*8 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 shouM 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
tlesh. 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 OP 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
yeai^s in this country have carried the blood of
this Robert Milne importation.
Lowman and Smiths' importations. — Bank-
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
11,200, 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 (2961^4) out
of a daughter of Victoria 39th by Chamjion of
England. This heifer was sold soon aftar im-
portation to Mr. Verry Aldiich 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, ma«sive
cows, with wonderful backs, great depth, re-
markable wealth of flesh, and were frequ^^ntly
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 Lin wood 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. 703
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-
deraona blood, out of the White Rose cow Fan-
nie 2d by Stonewall Jackson 12988. Au
illustration of this bull appears in Vol. XIV of
the American Herd Book. He was a red weigh-
ing in show condition 2,500 lbs., and it was with
a herd headed by him that Messrs, Potts first
engaged in the show business; their initial 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 Buccleuctfs 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 $50
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
706 HISTORY OP 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 Kissingers 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 las individuals, and possessed
the faculty of breeding on satisfactorily from
one generation to another. The red bull Proud
Duke 36660, got by the impoi-ted 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 OP SHORT-HORN CATTLK.
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)
fi
Q
1
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 buj^er, taking the 9th
Duchess of Hillhurst at $8,500, the 10th at
$7,100, the 11th at $4,700, and Airdrie Duchess
at $7,100. The '8th Duke of Hillhurst sold at
$3,025, and became the property of Col. C. A.
DeGraff, Janesville, Minn. Messri Palmer &
Bowman, proprietors of an extensive herd at
Saltville, Va., purchased Kirklevington Mar-
chioness 2d at $3,525.
Bichard Oibson'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.
Woodbum 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 yeara pre-
vious. These were bought mainly from the herd
of Mr. George Pox 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 pui-pose at this time Mr.
Renick afterward bought and used a bull, 4th
Duke of Roses 86034, produced by this cow at
Woodbum 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 Thomdale 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 Bale held at Winchester the followlntr week VanMeter St Hamil-
ton Bold Bizty-nine head of Short-horns at an average of 1896.85, Including
the Rose of Sharon females Poppy 17 th, Poppy's Duchess of Sycamore and
18th Rose of Sycamore, the first roinir to Palmer St Bowman at |2,0M and
the second and third to T. J. McOowan of Mount Sterling at 11,276 and 11,200
respectively. The day following this sale the Messrs. Hamilton sold at
Mount Sterling forty-five head at an average of 8888, Williams & Hamilton
taklnir I<oo Belle Oeneva 8d at 81,875, KirUevlnffton Oneida at 81,686 and 8d
Lady Kirklevlncton B. at 81,100. The day following this ottering T. Corwln
Anderson Bold forty-four head at an average of 8419.66, receiving from
Williams St Hamilton 81,686 for Klrklevlnrton Marchioness and 81,060 for
Peach Blossom 18th. H. M. Vaile of Missouri «rave 81,160 for Klrklevlnrton
Duchess 88d and a a Chiles, also of Missouri, took Peach Blossom 11th b*
81.80A
716 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
The HuBton-Oibson sale.— In April, 1883,
Messrs. Rigdoa Huston & Son of Blandinsville,
111., who had bought the entire Bates-bred herd
of Col. Le G. B. Cannon of Vermont, held a
sale at Chicago in connection with Mr, 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, III., at 16,000
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, III,
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 OP 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 $1,950, 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 bf Illinois Kirk-
levington Duchess 25th at $1,400. A majority
of the cattle, however, sold below $500, the
thirty-six head making an average of $325.55.
Kentucky Importing Company of 1883.—
In the spring of 1883 Messrs. B. F. Van Meter
and Leslie Combs, representing the Kentucky
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
Woodbum. 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 th^n disposed of
most of them to Messrs. Cummings of Illinois
and other Northern breeders.
Sale of FickrelL 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.
1888, at Harristown, 111., the firm sold severity-
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. Gri^by 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 DucheBBes. — 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-
722 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN GATTLB.
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 $2,500. Mr. B. C. Rumsey of Buffalo,
N. Y., purchased the 6th Duchess of Leicester
for $1,775.
Speaking of Duchesses we may note at this
point that during this same year the 8th Duke
of 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 befoi'e 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. and 6. Hamilton. According to
OLOSING EVENTS OF THE OBNTUEY. 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
Mlsalssippl. He was descended from the Bates-bred cow imp. Darlington
8th by 4th Duke of Oxford. A foot-note in a catalogrue issued by Messrs.
Sudduth it Bedmon of Clark Co., Ky., many years a^o, contained the rather
remarkable statement that this bull was ** a remarkable breeder, retting
fine calTes since he was eighteen years old.** This astonishing statement»
however, la6ks eonflrmation.
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 OP THE CENTUBY. 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 Maiy 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 com-
petitor, securing the yearling 4th Duke of Kent
at $1,500, the red cow Barrington Mary 2d and
•Col. Hulr was one of the best-known live-etook auctioneers of his day
In the United States. A resident of Kentucky, he shared with the Short-
horn lireeders 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 Klrklevington derivation.
For many years he conducted Important auction sales throughout the
Western States, and on the occasion of the purchase of the American
Shori-hom 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. Plckrell, CoL Mulr removed to Independence*
Mo., conducting numerous auction sales and retalninir his interest in
Short-bom breeding until his death, whloh 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 Barringtou
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. BeiTy & 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 OATTLB.
— ^where he had charge of the sale of the Kan-
sas Pacific Railway lands and the closing out of
the Delitware Indian Reservation — he built a
residence upon the farm afterward so celebra-
ted in the Western Short-horn trade under the
name of Linwood, and for some years gave
practically his entire time to the establishment
of a herd which in its prime was 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 Eentuckians 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 89120, 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
Jl,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 aale Hesara. J. H. Potta A Son purchased the imported
sitty ton Secret cow Sempatreaa at 1686 and Gloxinia at 14». For Imp. Aoom
Sd the late Launcelot Palmer paid 1506 and for Beanty'a Pride and Carrie
HOO 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 $1,006,
being purchased by the late Samuel Steinmetz
of Missouri. Breeders from many different
States gathered around this burly -bodied,
short-legged Scotch heifer and Jarge 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 68250 — ^got by Baron Victor out of
a Flat Creek Mary dam — a calf of rare thickness
and finish, finding quick sale at $500 to F. C.
Harris, son-in-law of Launcelot Palmer, 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 OP SHOBT-HOBN CATTLB.
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
* Thla Warfield heifer Inred to Baron Ylotor produoed the handsome
mellow-handling red prize bull Dr. Primroee of the Willlama 4 HooM-
holder show herd. Another Llnwood-hred ahow-yard faroiite In that
aame collection waa the Baron Victor heifer Baroneaa
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 733
Barmpton out of 24th Duchess of Gloster by
Lord of the Isles. Double Gloster was cold 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." Indeed, the Linwood 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 st*ite 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 diflB-
calty 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 jast 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 Knlrht, says: *'Amoiiir the beat
of the Sittyton oows at the time of my laat visit were Yictorla fiSth and
Oolden Autumn. As I saw them tied In a double stall together they were
oowB of a rood deal the same character, rather small, but character and
Quality all over (red). The 56th was dam of two I brouirht out, as well
as of Baron Victor, to-wlt.: Arthur Johnston*s Indian Chief, so noted as
a fetter, and Victoria SOth that I kept for myself, but did no ffood. The
other was dam of Craven Knight that was my choice of the Sittyton bull
calves of that year, and I would not have grot 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 Linwood was the red Thistletop 83876,
imported in 1885 by Mr. Davidson. He left
some good stock, among others the bulls El
Sabio 103105, used some before being sold, and
Thistlewood 95417, from imp. Victoria 63d —
the last sire used in the herd of J. H. Potts &
Son. A trial was also made of imp. Royal
Pirate 100640, imported direct from Sittyton
and sired by Gondolier 98287 out of Victoria
77th by Dunblane. This was a bull of great
scale, with a remarkable back, but scarcely as
compactly 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
738 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
— one of the few animals sired by imp. Master
of the Rolls 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 Athelstaue 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, III, 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 CENTURlf. 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 119432. 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 113305, 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
WestiCm show-yard. In 1893 Princess Alice
produced Royal 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
*Ballle Oirl was descended on the dam's side through such noted balls
as Dick Taylor 6&06. Loudon Duke 3097 and imp Duke of Alrdrie, 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, Dan vers, 111., who sold
Alice's Prince to Messrs. Wallace of Missouri,
from whom he has recently been bought by
Mr. Aaron Barber at a reported price of $2,000.
The Galahad heifer went to Texas. The old
* Princess finished her extraordinary career of
usefulness by giving the Messrs. Mitchell, in
1897, the white bull Prince Armour 127794, by
Baron Cruickshank 3d 117968, that has 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 Shortrhorn
OLOSINO EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 743
breeding in America during the period follow-
ing the speculative "boom" of the "seventies"
was perhaps greater than that of any other one
man identified with the trade from 1882 to 1896,
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. Undier 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" 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 Garabetta
(49618), bred by Mr. Garhetty, Fochabers, Scot-
CLOSING EVENTS OP 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, embmcing 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
(32490), a roan bred by Linton of Sheriff Button.
Goldfindor 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 AUsopp'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
$360.50. William Steele, a lumberman of Ionia,
Mich., bought Grand Du?.hess 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,
*M r. Bumsey bad sold twenty-three head of Short-homa at Chicago on the
previous week at an average of 1343, Mr. William Steele paying tl.lOO for
Camhrldffe Rose 23d and |1,0B0 for Cambrldsre Bose 26th.
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 auction 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
z^^^^^
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 lbs., 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 lbs.
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. Mcintosh 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 Holnea, Wm. Stocking of UUnola,
the awarding Judge, set the Nonpareil oyer Ijady Isabel. This was a re-
markable Sbort-hom show, Mr. Lather Adams' Scotoh-bred Imp. Mlsa
Bamaden 9th being placed after the two Bow Park cows.
750 A HISTORY OP 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 N. Y,
It must be said to Gibson's credit that the bull
was brought out that fall in rare bloom. When
he appeared at the head of the Bow Park Herd
at the Detroit Exposition September, 1889, he
was fit to stand for the credit of the breed in
any company. He was shown at a weight of
2,500 lbs., 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 Cupbeai-er 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 Ingram's Chief 41833. In fact
Hope made a clean sweep by drawing the blue
in both the yearling and heifer-calf classes,
gaining both championships and both of the
herd prizes.*
•The affaini of the Canada West Fann Stoclc Assoclatioii were closed
at auction at Brantford Jan. 15, 1885, the title to hoth the farm and herd
Dasalnff to Meeara. Thomas Nelson A Sons of Liverpool. The real estate
was hought in at $71,000, the 115 head of Short-horns'at 105,000, and the other
farm effects at 114,880. Mr. John Clay Jr., the present head of the American
stock-yards commission firm of Clay, Bohinson & 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 tmtil
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 flocka
We Quote the following written by Mr. Clay for the Uve-Stoek 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 mlghv,
except the late Simon Beattie, a sort of companlon-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 bom over fifty years ago near to Gockormouth, Cumbex^
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, Out., 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 fanner 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 aa-
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,
pnroluMed this estate, but- whether the actual details had been oarrled
through or not we are unable to say.
** It was August, 1876, In the Valley of the Seyem, under the shadow of the
Ootswold Hills, that the writer first met Hope. From that day a chain of
unbroken friendship that had to stand the strain of many a «ale remained
unbroken. In 1877 or 1878 Hope went to Bow Park as msaaager of the herd
then one of the largest and most valuable in the world, and in 1879 1 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, howeyer
that John Hope became a irreat force in trans-Atlantic agriculture. Many
an object lesson he araye 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 Shortrhom 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 duster round him, the
old love was dimmed a little, but the virgin fires still biased, 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 Kirklevlngton, 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. Lon^ years of ex-
'-^^^^M
CLOSING EVENTS OP 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
perienoe and dose obeenratton had made him so, and ho only fought hlB
opponents with their own weapons. As a iu^ge 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 durinir the last twenty years I hare watched
many an exhibitor and Judge. Tears ago I saw an Elliot of Hindhope, a
Booth of Warlabj, 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-Tards, 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 hare got the laurel
wreath, for with him it was intuition. He was quick, keen, declsire, 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 Bnglish 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 Inyarlably 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
l(unb, 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 CATTLB.
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 Sittyton 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. 765
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 6th, 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.
•BaahfalM— of the HIbs Ram8den tribe— was what American breeders
term a vennlne **doubleHlecker*'— a beefy, broad-backed cow with a large,
•bapely vdder. She was a heavy milker and was one of the cowa chosen
In 180 to represent the breed in the Columbian Dairy Teat.
766 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLK.
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 f 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 OP 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. HlUer fitted and exhibited for Mr. Adams at the fall fairs of 1887 a
herd headed by Stratheam THNM, a compactly- buUt, thick-fleahed red, bred
by John Miller A Son, Broiurham, Ont., deeoendlnff from imp. Rose of Strath-
allan, that was probably the most yaluable breeding cow John Miller ever
owned. She Uved to be nineteen years of a^e, and this reference to Strath-
eam 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 rained the rold medal at the Highland Show of 1870 in her flve-yearold
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 Uving 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-
xurka from Woodbum, Canadian Prince, of Campbell origin, and Fawsley
Chief, a Torr-Booth. For many years past none but Scotch bulla have been
used, included among them being the famous Vice Consul (brought to the
States by Messrs. Sanger) , Slttyton 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 a\talned. The cow of this show herd was Miss
^msden 9th, an 1,865-lb. red, with a remarkable heart-girth, and the two-
year-old heifer was her own sister, Miss Ramaden 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 l/nited States.
The value of this lot of cattle to American
herds can scarcely yet be fairly estimated.
Among the females were the grand roan Bi-a-
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 Cmven 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. Bobbins & 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. Fi-ancis Davis of Minnesota
bought Freemason at $300. Arthur Johnston
secured Indian Chief at $350,^and J. F. Prather
of Village Park, Williamsville, 111., took out
Mephistopheles at $300; the twenty-five bulls
III
"-I
> 55
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 $576.
Lakeside's show herd of 1888.— At the
shows of 1888 Lakeside came forward in force.
Cupbearer was now a three-year-pld and had im-
proved wonderfully with twelve months' 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 Vamer'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*B Gypsy Maid wae 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 Sittyton-bred Ver*
mont 78835— running through Harmony by Pride of the Isles to Mr. Marr's
Goldie tribe— and was imported in September, 18M, 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 suoeosa. and was the
champion female of the breed at the Iowa State Fair of 1886.
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE OBNTURY. 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 CATTLB.
Dustia got Victoria 79th, Proud Belle and 6er-
manica 2d at $425, $420 and $325 respectively.
Hugh Draper, Washington, la., got the rich-
fleshed roan Fatima at $400. Messrs. Potts se-
cured Germanica at $395. Miss Bamsden 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 Lin wood 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 8d 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 waa from this herd that Mr. Abram Benick, the youBger, bought the
bulla Wallace 1176M, by Gterman Laird out of the Wild Byes cow North
Oaks Dachess of Worcester 9d, axid Royal Scot 117S17, by Knight of the
Thistle out of Gwendoline 8d, for the purpose of introducing some freeb
blood inio the Rose of Sharon herd left him as a legacy on the death of his
great-uncle* Abram Benick, in 1884.
tlAkealde Farm was bought from Mr. Sherley by Mr. Miller in IMS 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 $ €tautte have reflected not
only his fine vein of humor but literary ability of the highest order. That
gifted American author, Donald O.Mitchell ("Ik Marvel") in forwarding
a communication of his own, prepared especially for one of the Christmas
issues of the QaaetU, 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 yon need call professional literary men to your aid.'*
764 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLB.
heretofore been made to the fact that Messrs.
Rigdon Huston & Son of Blandinsville, III., 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 $60,000 for
thirty-two head. The Cannon herd contained
several representatives of the Airdiie 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 auctian 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
*Bl«doii Huston was one of the pioneer breeders of the West and was
a man of the highest character, uniTersally esteemed. He had from early
days been an owner of pore-bred Short-horns, chosen primarily for their
indlTldaal 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 en^are as a partner in breeding with his
father until the purchase of the Cannon herd was consummated. In IMS
Theodore Huston, who was In very ill health, was appointed United SUtes
Consul at El Paso, Tex., but even the mild climate of thai 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 ball 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 11th 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 OF 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 Gi vens 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 heen the work
of a lifetime to build up? While the transaction was being carried
through I felt sincere sympathy for him, as I could see how the
thought of parting with his cattle affected his strong mind. The
resolution to sell was arrived at owing to his failing health and
the fact that the lease of his farm had expired ; and when the
proposition of a private purchase of the entire lot was made he
liked the idea, seeing it would save him all the worry and trouble
attending a public sale. In a letter to me, dated May 5, 1889, he
wrote : ^^ In reply to your letter regarding the Short-hom 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, Eiig., 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 Ohampioa 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 Cruicksliank cows at Coilynie.— 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 takinsr leave of this line of breeding we may add the followlnr
description of this epoch-making sire, furnished the author by Mr. John W,
Crulckshank: '* 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; hia 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 Slttsrton herd
generally with his character. Himself descended oU both aides from
tribes of good milking qualities his daughters were useful dairy oattto as
well as heavy-fleehed Short-horns. His death was the result of ealonlwa,
and when killed his organs were as souild and healthy as poeafUe.**
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 771
October. Calves born after the 1st of June
from these old cows to be the property of Mr.
Dathie. 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 CATTLB.
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 2,600-lb.
bull with a good head, wonderfftl back, ribs,
loins and quartei's, 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
>
I
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
(51718), 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 w^ 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 Imll. Many Enfllah judges
did not hare a very high opinion of him, and there Is no doubt that there
was some truth In what they said, rlz. : *He was like a fat steer.* I went
to buy 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 prise, but he was so
dilTerent 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.
**Marlo, New Tear's Olft, 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 Slttyton blood tbey could not be set aside."
774 A HISTORY OF 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 CoUynie, 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 Coant 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 Norsemia.n
(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.
* Barl of March was a roan, bred by Bruce of Bumalde, from Frederick
Fits Windsor (81196) out of Fanny (the dam of Potts' impb Duke of Rich-
mozid) by Royal BrranL
776 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLK.
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 shambloB. — 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.
Snmmary of Sittyton sales. — During a pe-
riod of thirty-five years, extending from 1842
to 1876, inclusive, there were sold for breeding
RESIDENCE OF 3. DEANE WILLIS
OF BAPTON MANOR.
- 1 '1
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 ylaitiiv Amos Crulckahank at his
home at Sittyton In June, 189S, in comx>any with Mr. Duthle and Col, W^ A.
Harris. Althouirh then an octog'enarian Mr. Cruickshank's mind was still
nndonded and he readily answered all questions put to him oonoeminf 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, throu^rh the sires he had largely used, closely al- '
Ued, and one could gather from his talk that in Ms selection of stock bulls
he was influenced much by the qualifications of the dam and frandams,*hls
Judrment of their merits belnir based upon a high atandard of excellence in
the matters of constitution, quality, milk and flesh. He was usinf 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 Oioous sort. His death occurred at Sittyton May 18B6.
Mr. Bruoe 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 HUrhland Show at Aberdeen in July, U04, a
homely little ceremony took place which excited more than ordinary in-
terest. From the Royal oox in the errand stand his Royal Hiirhness the
Duke of York, President of the Society for the year, was witnessing the
parade of the live stock. Some one mentloncxl to his Royal Hitrhness 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>
venarian farmer and breeder, presenting a characteristic fl^ure with his
iHi
H
the exhibition of the i
Young Abbottsburn 11
for some years been
and fitter of Bates and
his great coup of 1890
prise to the Short-ho!
the States. Imp. Ci
owned by Williams &
Kan., was the reigninj
yards. Moberley de
was a bull in North A
with Cupbearer he W(
him at the head of his
Like all others who at
quiet attire, lonff white locks, and
eommand, and was received most •
Ineldent, simple and Interesting in
erowd of onlookers, who aiyplande
seen to make his way hack from tb
larly happy occurrence that meetin
aichal farmer-one of many slmllai
dlstlnfulsh the movements of the ]
anxious desire to recognise and di
ever walk of life it may be observei
**Amos Cruickshank was then
bowed down with the wel«rht of y
araln to witness the Hi^rhland Shoi
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 779
balls 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 Wy vis
(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 Abbottsbum 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. Norrte is at present herd manaflrer for Messrs. Dustln, Summer
Hill, m., and selected for them In Scotland In 1886 the prise bull Merry
Hampton, possessing somethinir of the same thickness and feedinir Quality
of the rnmd old tmll which he developed In Canada.
780 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN OATTLK.
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
Norrie's possession the Messrs. Watt had not
seen him, although some extraordinary state-
ments as to his character reached their ears.
At Norrie'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 lbs. He had been kept in a box-stall with
free access to a yard of moderate size where he
could take exercise at will; the door of his box
being seldom closed in summer or winter. His
principal feed had been roots and hay with the
CLOSING EVENTS OP THE CENTUBY. 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 pn 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
tiO 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,"
•Xeasra. Sanger of Wisconsin were first In atred bulls at this Bzposl-
tlon with Prince Vioiorla of Hickory Park 94481. a thlck-fleshed bull of rreat
•abstance, sired by Earl of Richmond out of Victoria 66th by Royal Duke of
Pleasant Ridre 86B89; thus blending the blood of Imp. Duke of Richmond
with that of the Milne and Lowman A Smith Victorias already mentioned as
belnir 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 U7fil. out of the grand heifer Victoria of Qlenwood 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
allnaion 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 Tm Gazettb for the
past two or three years, and was so interested in your account of
*Tbe judges upon this oecaaioa were Measn. Thomas Clark. Beeoher.
IlL, one of America's best breeders and most suooeasful exhibitors of
Herefords; and Robert B. OffUyle, late of Madison. Wis. Mr. OgllYle. while
devoted to mercantile pursuits, has been a Ufe-lonff admirer of the Im-
proved breeds of livestock, and for a quarter of a cantuzy has enjoyed the
acquaintance of practically all of the leadinir breeders and exhibitors of
the United States and Canada. He acquired International reputation as a
breeder of Clydesdales at Blalrrowrle 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 shows of their time. Fond of a
irood Shortrhom, a recognized judge of sheep and a close student of every*
thin^r pertaining to stock-breedinff Interests, Mr. O^lvle possessed a wide
and varied ran^ of information bearing upon all the leadlnir types of do-
mestic animals.
Cupbearer in his old a^e became the property of Milton B. Jones of
Cherry Grove Farm, WilUamsvllle, 111., in whose hands he died several
years since. It cannot be said that he ever had a thorough test as a breed-
In^r 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 ad, sold to Col Mober-
ley and afterward bought by Messrs. Mltchel .
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE OBNTUBY. 788
CoL Moberley^s new bull, that I thought I would oome to Peoria
and see the fun." Such was the explanation of their unaccus-
tomed presence at an Illinois State Fair nude 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 assert^ed 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. Liouis.
Cupbearer— son of the great Rob Roy, sire of the rising E«ngllsh
champion Challenge Cup, and victor in half a hundred fields— was
first in position. "He can't be beaten" was the emphatic pro.
nonncement 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 whUe 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 Abbottsbum 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 trifie 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
II ill
an almost certain winner by n
marvelously-spread loin, level •
gay carriage. Young Abbottsl
incomparable wealth of flesh,
more truly masculine, his cropi
lines are fuller than those of his
bull, standing (at the briski
groimd, with a rich roan coat s
golden coloring matter that ii
"doer." He is low, wide, c
flesh of good quality from hon
head and horns of the right i
those quiet, even temperament
to the putting on of meat. The
over the blades, but not so n
He does not flhish out behind 1
other, but is yet a grand-quart
'' The king is dead ; long liv
Young Abbottsbur
Whatever of lingerii
the feeding and flesh
Cruickshank cattle n
this date was dispell
hibition of this wonde
shows from 1890 to H
tirst appearance at D
the championship ol
CLOSING BVBNT8 OF THE CENTUBY. 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 lbs. Such weight without height,
has probably never been seen in any other
animal of any breed on this continent. It was
scarcely to be expected that such a ponderous,
short-legged show bull would prove 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 view^s 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 shotv him 'right smart.'/' He did more
than thisT He used him "right smart" besides
ill i!l:;|
anything else, howev(
7th his fame would
time. We have alrea
attending the use of
the Young Mary trili
Potts, Wilhoit and H
repeated by many of
remained for Col. Mol
burn, however, to caj
particular cross is cc
breed the champion s
Her dam was the red
Col. Moberley from tl
bull Minnie's Duke <
Sparsewood Mary 3d,
Chester, Ky., from C
22295 (also of Mr. Re
sired by the 4th Di:
kindly from the star
of rare promise, was
York State's enthusias
horns, at the round
CLOSING EVBNT8 OF THE CENTURY. 787
blest COWS of any breed known to the American
cattle trade. She had a hack 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. Prom 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
Abbottsbum he was yet a bull of strong parts,
well covered with flesh of tine 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 Orove 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 Abbottsbum 7th*s head and neok from a
painting by Hills was the leading pictorial feature of the Ohristmas nnnw
ber of the Breeder'i QoMette for 1899. " Queen Mary,** as she was often called,
became during that year the property of Mr. W. A. Boland of New Toik
city, proprietor of a stock farm at Qraas Lake, Mich.
"
MM^
and heifers, includiii(
line 2d, 7th Linwood
of North Oaks, Oranj
Victoria 79th, and ws
tensively in intermin
Cruickshank blood,
furnished the inspin
berley did not live to
an example of broac
merit wherever founc
out its lesson. His
tor's sale at Richmor
the country was still
paralleled financial p
prices paid, as has b
similar instances, we
surate with the value
est figure was $500, gi
Son, of Harlan, la., f
bull called The Cork
self, nine years old
of further usefulness
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 789
time in America, topped the females at $400,
at which price she went to Messrs. Mitchel,
Dan vers, 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 CATTLB.
can cattle-breeding interests. The Woodburn
management had been giving rather more at-
tention to horse-breeding than to Short-horns
for some time preceeding 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 chamcter. During the yeai-s
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.
OLOSING 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,
III., 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
Anierican 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 OP SHOBT-HOBN CATTLE.
attach to this record-breaking competition the
prize list is herewith appended:
Aged bullB— First to OoL T. S. Moberley's Young Abbotts-
burn 110879; second to J. 6. Robbins & Sons* Qt^y Monarch 99411;
third to Col. T. S. Moberley's Nonpareil Chief 11S094; fourth to
H. F. Brown's Earl Fame 8th 107696; fifth to J. H. Potts & Son's
ThUtlewood 96417; sixth to H. F. Brown's Golden Rule 96368.*
Two-year-old buUs— fHrst to L. W. Brown & Sons' Young
Marshal 110706; 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 108360; fifth to B. O. Cowan's Lord
Waterloo 112746; sixth to W. 6. Sanders' Elgin Chief.
Yearling buUs— 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 Careen Bros.' Royal
Consul 3d.
Bull calves -First to H. F. Brown's Victor of Browndale
117621; second to W. B. Cockbum'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. RusseU's
Prince of KineUar.
Aged cows— First to J. G. Robbins & Sons' Gay Mary; second
to H. F. Brown's Elvira of Browndale 8d ; third to H. F. Brown's
' Victoria of Glen wood 8th; fourth to Col. T. S. Moberley's Forest
Belle 16th; fifth to Potts & Son's Emma 11th; sixth to O. W.
Fisher's Lovely Pride.
Two-year-old heifers— First to Col. T. S. Moberley's Gem of
Hickory Park 8d ; second to Messrs. Russell's Centennial Isabella
26th ; third to J. H. Potts & Son's Surprise of Oakland 8d ; fourth
to J. G. Robbins A Sons' Nora Davis; fifth to H. F. Brown's Red
«Golden Rule was a red of saperb handling quality, bred by the late
Robert MlUer of West Iiiberty, la., from Imp. Goldsttck 9St4» and Gol-
den Feather. He was dropped the property of C. B. Dustln, Summer Hill ,
IlL, and after doing service in the Dustln herd for several aeaaona was sold
to Mr. H. F. Brown of Browndale Farm, Minneapolis, Minn., whose show
herds under the capable training of Robert Bwart for many years consti-
tuted a leading feature of the Short-horn exhibits on the Western circuik
Few herds haye 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-hom
•how this country has ever seen.
f
IB
if
OLOSINa EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 793
Empress; sixth to H. F. Brown^s Oxford Dachess of Brown-
dale dd.
Yearling heifers— First to B. O. Cowan's Dora 6th ; seoond to
H. F. Brown's Spioey 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 Slst Maid of Sylvan; sixth to
B. O. Ck>wan's Phyllisia 2Bih.
Heifer calYes— First to Messrs. Russell's Centennial Isabella
SOth ; second to W. C. Edward's LAdy Fftme ; third to J. 6. Rob-
bins d( Sons' Nancy Hanks; fourth to H. F. Brown's Rosemary
of Browndale; fifth to J. D. Vamer's Claribelle; sixth to Messrs.
Russell's Ruby Princess.
Championships— Bull of any age, Moberley's Young Abbotts-
bum. Cow of any age, Bobbins' Gay Mary.
Herd— First to H. F. Brown ; seoond to T. S. Moberley ; third
to Bobbins & Sons ; fourth to Potts & Son ; fifth to T. S. Mober-
ley; sixth to H. F. Brown.
Young herds— First to Messrs. Russell; second to !^ J. Cow-
an ; third to H. F. Brown ; fourth to Potts A 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 Thomdale Rose Duke 0&426; fourth to Messrs. Bobbins 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 8d and 4th ; seoond to Messrs.
Potts' Surprises of Oakland Sd 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, III., and J. C. Snell of Can-
ada. In the herd competition Messrs. J. G. Robbins & Sons carried
first prize with the Marr-bred Alezandrina 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-HOEN CATTLE.
third prises in this competition were won by Herefords, and the
fourth and fifth by Short-horns owned respectiyely 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. Ck>L 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 liord
Stanley carried the yearling bull championship, and in boll calves
Mr. Cockbum, 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 80th.
The $1,000 special championship prise 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 ElstUl, Richard 6ib>
son and H. H. Clough. J. H. Potts & Son receiyed second in this
competition, Mr. Van Natta third with Herefords and Messrs.
Moberley and Robbins fourth and fifth with Short-horns.
Becent importationB.— 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 Yyy WtlUam of Orange oat of an AUia>
basca dam, and was for several seasons one of the star attraotloas of the
Short-born exhibit at Western shows. He not only carried many first and
championship prizes, but in the Bobbins herd sired show cattle of out-
standing merit. He was a smooth, deep-fleshed bull, poasesalnff more
character than Young Abbottsburn, and must be ranked with the Duke of
Richmond and Baron Victor as one of the most valuable breedlnr *w^m^»«
of Uie Scotch type ever used in the West He died the propei^y of Mcwats
Bobbins in 1899.
CHAMPION SHOW BULL ST. VALENTINE 121014.
Bred fry Guardhovse dk Son, of Canada. Shown fry «T. O, Bobbim d
Sons, Horace, Ind,, and by Geo» E. Ward, Hawarden, /a.
IMP. BARON CRUICKSHANK 1062OT.
Bred by Wm, Duthie, CoUynie, and imported by C, B, Duetin db Son,
Summer Hill, HI,
CLOSING EVBNT8 OF THE CENTURY. 795
attracted universal attention — ^and P. L. Mills
the North-country blood has now strong foot-
ing south of the River Tweed.
For several years after the conclusion of Mr.
Luther Adams' importing operations trade con-
ditions in America were such as did not afford
much encouragement for the purchase of Short-
horns in Great Britain for shipment to America,
but the renewed interest manifested in cattle
breeding during the past few years has led to
a revival of importations. Without under-
taking to supply details as to these contem-
porary business transactions, attcintion may be
called to the importation in 1891, personally,
selected in Scotland by Mr. C. B. Dustin for ac-
count of himself and Mr. J. F. Prather. This
importation was chiefly notable as including
the splendid sire Baron Cruickshank 106297, '
bred by Mr. Duthie from Collingwood 106881,
and the Mysie cow Maria 10th, by Field Marshal.
This bull was used jointly for a time by Messrs.
Dustin and Prather, but latterly was the sole
property of the proprietor of Hill Farm. He
was a richly-fleshed, robust roan, and left much
good stock. Mr. Prather's imp. Duke of Hamil-
ton 2d 107363, of this same importation and
also of Mr. Duthie's breeding, a mellow-hand-
ling red, also left a valuable progeny at Village
Park. Mr. Dustin has recently added to the
wealth of Western Short-horn herds by the
796 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
purchase and importation of the capital young
bull Merry Hampton 132572, a winner as a
yearling at the Highland show of 1898, and
bred at Collynie from the Missie cow Mada-
moiselle 6th by Field Marshal. This bull was
landed in Illinois at a cost of $2,000.
One of the most valuable of recent importa-
tions was that personally selected in Q^reat
Britain by Mr. I. M. Forbes, Henry, 111., in the
summer of 1898. It included about a dozen
females from the herds of Messrs. Duthie, Marr
and their con tern poi-aries, representing the
Missie, Princess Royal and other standard Aber-
deenshire tribes. Along with this importation
came the bulls Star of the North 132076 and
Fairhaven 131977. The former, of the Sittyton
Clipper family, was bought from the herd of
Her Majesty the Queen of England. Fairhaven
was sold at the Forbes sale of Oct. 11, 1899,
to Benjamin Whitsitt, Pre-Emption, 111., for
11,000.*
• At thlB same sale Mr. J. F. Prather, WUUamByiUe, ILL, took the hand-
some home-bred cow Golden Venus at I860 and the imp. heifer Rosemary
20lBt at 1826. John M. Blotz, Dod^reFiUe, Wis., bought imp. Gwendoline at
1801. The thirty-nine females offered averaged fS96.fiO, the geneitil averace
on fifty head beln? IS96. This sale was held to close a partnership thai
had existed for some time between Messrs. L M. and Caleb Forbes under
the name of Forbes Bros., the dissolution beinir rendered necessary by the
death of Mr. Caleb Forbes. The partnership herd had been soeoessfully
maintained at a hi^h standard of indiyidual excellence. The stock bull
Baron Gloster 101667, that was in service for a number of years, was <me
of the thickest-fleshed Crulckshank bulls of his time in the United
States, an animal of compact conformation, rare quality and a most im-
preaslye aire of short-lefr^ed, easy-keeping stock. Mr. I. If. Forbes, who
had at all times been the moving spirit in the management, continued
CLOSING EVENTS OF THE CENTURY. 797
Importations from Scotland have also been
made in recent years by Messrs. Miller, Cargill,
Flatt* and others of Canada, and by Messrs.
Gerlaugh, Harding, Hanna, Wood, Robbins
and other prominent present-day breeders of
the States. Prices are rising again at home
and abroad. Five thousand dollars has been
refused for the Highland Society's prize bull
of 1899, Cornerstone, and even this figure seems
likely to be exceeded in the near future.
One of the notable show-yard triumphs of re-
cent years was the exhibition by Messrs. Rob-
bins of the Canadian-bred bull St. Valentine
121014, descending from the imported Booth-
topped cow Verbena, bred by John Outhwaite.
He was the champion bull of the West in 1897
and was sold along with some valuable fe-
males to George E. Ward, Hawarden, la. In
1898 St. Valentine was champion at the Illinois
State Fair and headed Mr. Ward's first-prize
herd at same show, which included Monarch's
Short-horn breeding with b capital selection of Scotch and Scotch-topped
cows and heifers, including a majority of those comprislnir the importa-
tion of 1896; Star of the North heinff the chief stock bull in service.
Benjamin Whltsitt's father was one of the pioneer Short-horn breeders
of Western Illinois, and the son has been at all times an efficient and pei^
Bistent adTOcate of the use of pure- bred bulls for the production of hi«rh-
claas steers. He feeds largely for the Chicago market, has had in service
in his pure-bred herd a succession of «rood Scotch sires, and is recognised
as one of the most successful stockmen of his district,
•At an auction sale held by Mr. W. D. Flatt at Hamilton, Ont., Dec. 10,
1809, at which Col. Fred M. Woods of Lincoln, Neb., presided as auc-
tioneer, about forty head of imported Scotch-bred heifers and young bulls
were sold for an average of 1477.80, the top price being IBOO, paid by P. &
Iiewla ft Son, Point Pleasant, W. Va., for the roan bull calf Sir Wilfred
Lanrler, by the Boyal champion Marengo.
798 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN OATTLB.
Ladji by Gay Monarch, and St. Valentine's
daughters Selma and Lady Valentine.*
Herd-book consolidation. — One of the most
important events of the period under review
was the purchase in the autumn of 1882 by the
American Short-horn Breeders' Association of
the herd book, which had up to that date been
issued as a private enterprise by Lewis F. Allen,
Buffalo, N. Y. The price paid was $25,000.
More or less confusion in reference to Ameri-
can records had arisen from the fact that a
pedigree register, known as the American Short-
horn Record, had been established and pub-
lished for some years in Kentucky, and that a
similar book, known as the Ohio Short-horn
Record, was being issued by the breeders of the
Buckeye State. Both of these registers were
the manifestation 6f disapproval of the manner
in which Mr. Allen was conducting the herd
book which he had established in 1846. The
purchase and consolidation of these various
records by the National Breeders' Association
was the happy solution of a situation that was
•At the Trana-MlBBiBBlppi Bzposition at Omaha same year Mr. H. F.
Brown defeated St Valentine— after a contest developinc some bitterness
—with the Canadian-bred Nominee 181363, a roan lacking the wealth of
flesh shown by St. Valentine, but big, level and presented in fine bloom.
In 1899 the Short-honTlierd prixe at the Illinois State Fair was won by Mr.
T. J. Womall, Mosby, Mo., with Viscount of Anoka 126081, bred by Messrs-
Harding of Waukesha, Wis.; among the females shown being Sultana (by
Gay Monarch) and llady Valentine, seen in Mr. Ward's herd of 1888. Two
thick-fleshed, sappy heifer oalyes by St. Valentine were suoeessfuUy
shown by Messrs. Bobbins at the fall fairs of 1899. one of which, Baber;a,
a Sittyton Duchess of Oloster, was champion calf of the circuit.
CLOSING BVKNT8 OF THE OBNTURY. 799
becoming fairly intolerable, and since 1883 but
one book has been in existence. Hon. J. H.
Pickrell was one of the prime movers in this
project, and the first volume (XXIV) issued by
the National Association appeared under the
auspices of the following board of oflBcers:
President, J. H. Pickrell; Vice-President, B. F.
Vanmeter; Treasurer, T. W. Harvey; Secretary,
L. P. Muir; Directors, C. C. Nourse of Iowa, S. F.
Lockridge of Indiana, C. A. DeGraff of Minne-
sota, W. A. Harris of Kansas, A. M. Bowman of
Virginia, Emory Cobb of Illinois, C. E. Leonard
of Missouri, L. B. Wing of Ohio, and John Hope
of Canada.
The oflBce was first established in the city of
Chicago, but was subsequently removed to
Springfield, 111., where it remained until after the
oonstraction of the Pedigree Record Building by
this Union Stock Yard Company of Chicago, when
it was brought back to the Western metropolis.
After Mr. Pickrell gave up cattle breeding he
was chosen Secretary and Editor of the Herd Book
to succeed Col. Muir, retaining the office until his
death, which occurred in 1901. Mr. John W.
Groves is the present incumbent.*
•Canadian breeders organized the Dominion Short- horn Breeders' As-
Boolation some years ago, and under the Presidency of the Hon. John
Dryden began In 1886 the publication of the Dominion Herd Book, of which
Mr. Henry Wade of Toronto Is still Secretary and editor.
In Great Britain the National pedigree register for the breed Is stlU
published under the original name, " Coates' Herd Book," although It has
for some years been owned and issued by the Short-horn Society of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, with offices at 13 HanoTor
Square, London.
CHAPTER XXIII.
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED.
Since the days when the Renicks drove their
first well-bred bullocks from the Ohio Valley
over the mountains to the seaboard markets
the Short-horn has been a familiar figure in the
pastures, feed-lots, dairies and stock-yards of
the United States. When the mighty agricul-
tural empire of the Upper Mississippi Valley
came under the sway of the early settlers the
Short-horn was called to fill a place that be
seems destined to occupy for generations yet
to come. Throughout this broad realm of blue
grass and Indian com the roan badge of Short-
horn birth has ever been a passport into the
favor of thoughtful farmers. In the develop-
ment of the great ranges of the farther West
the Short-horn bull was a pioneer in that won-
derful improvement that has at last driven the
Texas Long-horn from the plains and moun-
tains. On Australian "stations" and on the
estancias of Argentine the Short-horn bull has
led the line of progress toward greater weights
and neater carcasses. Others have since ap-
peared upon the scene to share with him the
(800)
WILD QUEEN 2d— Winner of first mUklng prize,
London Dairy Show, 1898.
^-^ —
1
^
M0. . ♦Ifc'^
1
^
ly-'r 1 mm [>
I
WHISKERS— Champion American Fat Stock Show, 1894.
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED. 801
honor of the conquest over the " scrub V crea-
tion, as revealed by existing conditions in the
West, but the credit for the long years of sap-
ping and mining that made present successes
possible must be laid at the feet of the Short-
horn bull. Indeed, the story of the world-wide
wanderings of this bovine Ulysses supplies the
theme for an agricultural Odyssey.
Universal adaptability. — The lapse of years
only serves to strengthen the position of the
Short-horn. A century of close contact with
fche most exacting requirements of the farm
and feed-lot has only deepened the hold of the
"red, white and robins" upon the affections of
the agricultural world. The source of this
perennial popularity must be apparent even to
the most casual observer. The strength of the
Short-horn lies in its unrivaled range of adapt-
ability; in the facility with which it responds
to the varied demands of those who pursue a
system of diversified farming — the rearing of
live stock as an essential feature in a well-
ordered scheme of mixed husbandry. The
Short-horn is distinctively and emphatically a
dual-purpose breed. The bull calves can be
turned into market-topping steers, and under
proper management the heifers develop marked
value for the dairy. The pure-bred Short-horn
bull as a first cross upon common or native
cows — especially if they be wanting in size — ^is
802 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN OATTLB.
a certain source of immediate improvement;
imparting scale, shapeliness and quality to his
progeny. The Short-horn grade heifer is the
foundation upon which bulls of other improved
breeds have builded some of their most signal
successes. In a lean or ''store" condition the
Short-horn is still attractive by reason of his
level lines and general symmetry.
Feed-lot favorites. — Cattle-feeding as a lead-
ing industry in connection with American farm-
ing had its origin in Short-horn blood one hun-
dred years ago in the valley of the south branch
of the Potomac River in Virginia. Crossing the
Blue Ridge it became a source of wealth to the
Ohio Valley States, and the grazing and feed-
ing of Short-horn steers has followed as a mat-
ter of course the establishment of pure-bred
herds throughout the newer West. In the fore-
going pages we have endeavored to afford a
general view of the character and breeding of
the pedigreed stock from whence farmers of
the corn-belt and contiguous tenitory have
drawn their supplies of Short-horn blood ; but
space will not admit of extending our inquiry
to the gates of the myriad farms upon which
this blood has been utilized as a machine for
the profitable conversion of grain and grass
into beef and milk.
While the leading breeders were engaged in
exhibiting, importing and selling high-class
A DUAL-PUBP06B BREED. 808
registered cattle, as detailed in preceding chap-
ters, shifting their allegiance from time to
time from one strain of blood to another, the
farmers of Great Britain, Canada and the
States were all the while taking the surplus
bulls and grading up the common cattle of
their respective countries. They found that
each crop of calves from a good bull was worth
enough more than a crop from a "scrub " or a
grade sire to more than pay the difference in
the first cost of the bull. Feeders stood ready
to take the steers as fast as they approached
maturity, and such farmers as had the fore-
sight to use the pure-bred bulls soon obtained
a reputation for the quality of their cattle that
insured them a handsome premium for their
surplus stock. In this way the producers and
consumers of beef profited enormously by the
enterprise of those who spent their money so
lavishly in the importation, breeding and ex-
hibition of choice specimens of the breed, as
noted in preceding pages.
"Prime Scots/' — Perhaps the most notable
illustration of the value of the blood for prac-
tical feeding purposes developed by the history
of the breed in Britain is afforded by the evo-
lution of the so-called *' prime Scots" of the
English market. This particular brand of high-
priced beef represents the commingling of the
blood of the Short-horn with that of the black
804 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN OATTLJL
polled r&ces of Scotland. The North-of-Scot-
land farmers were free buyers of Short-horn
bulls from such herds as those of Ury, Eden,
Shethin and Sittyton. Indeed the surprising
statement is made that not less than 1,000 bulls
of their own breeding were sold by the Messrs.
Cruickshank during a period of forty-seven
years for crossing purposes! This necessarily
wrought a wonderful improvement in the char-
acter of the farm cattle of Aberdeenshire and
adjacent counties, and Robert Bruce has favored
us with the following interesting statement as
to how the cattle-growers of those districts pro-
ceeded with the work of producing the "prime
Scot":
Before the Short-home found their way to the Northern
counties of Scotland the cattle there were nearly all hlaok, a large
proportion of them helng polled. Between 1890 i&nd 1840 Short-
horns hegan to be freely used by the ordinary farmers with the
result that there was improvement in the size over the native
stock. Along with increased size the cross-bred animals had the
valuable quality of maturing early in comparison with others.
The results of usiog a Short-horn bull with the native cows were
so satisfactory that for a considerable time this system of crossing
was considered the only safe and proper one. I can remember
well the effects of this belief all over the North of Scotland where
the farmers had gone on using Short-horn buUs on three, four, and
five generations of cows, grades from the original native poUed
cows, till the large proportion of the stock in farmers' hands were
fairly passable Short-horns. At the time 1 refer to, from 1860 to
1860, 1 do not believe you could have found two Aberdeen- Angus
bulls serviog in herds other than those that were pur&-bred, and
so few pure-bred herds were there that it became impossible for
the ordinary farmers to get polled heifers to follow out what they
called the right system of crossing.
I may whisper in your **lug" that it was about this time that
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED. 805
the Aberdeen-AniroB cattle improYed so muoh, and there can he no
doubt that many a dash of Short-horn blood was introduced with
much advantage to the black-skins. This, however, is away from
the point. The great scarcity of Aberdeen-Angus heifers drove
the farmers to use the Aberdeen-Angus balls on their cross-bred
Short-horn grade cows. I can distinctly remember the subject of
the doings of a farmer, an owner of a herd of high-grade (Short-
horn) cows, being discussed widely with much headshaking seeing
he had yentured to use a polled bull in his herd. His experiment
was carefully watched and before fire years there was a demand
for Aberdeen- Angus bulls for use in i!larmers' herds of cross-tared,
in fact, Short-horn grade cows.
For the past thirty years the following may be said to be the
common practice in the North of Scotland. As I have said the
cows in the hands of farmers were more or less Short-horns.
These were put to the Aberdeen- Angus bulls and the heifers kept
as cows practically first crosses. These and their daughters were
again put to Aberdeen- Angus bulls, when Short-horn bulls were
again brought in for several generations, and so on alternating
between Short-hofus and Aberdeen-Angus sires (always pure-bred
herd-book animals), the farmers possessing herds of cows the
direct female descendants of cows owned by their gnnndfathers.
I do not know as I need say anything more on this subject.
The blend of the two breeds is a mixture which produces a class of
cattle having no equal as a rent-paying stock in this country; and
speaking froiji my own observation I believe it matters little how
the mixture is concocted so long as It is Short-horn and Aberdeen-
Angus, the judgment of the breeder being brought into play in
determining the amount of either of the two fiustors. It musti
nowever, be borne in mind that even this valuable mixture oouli
not produce the Prime Scots which the Iiondon West Ebid butch-
ers sell at such high prices and which the ** upper ten " are please 1
to pay for if the North 0(ntniryf€ttrmeneveraUowedtheir young gtoek to
lose thebr ealffUtih, To produce the high-selling article an ox ought
to be fit to kill any time during his life, and the question of the
proper age for slaughter entirely depends upon markets and such
like circumstances. Many people unacquainted with the North-
em cattle say the first cross is the only right one, but you may go
from farm to fbrm in the North of Scotland where, as I have said,
nothing but cross-bred cows have been bred in the family for gen-
erations and yet the farmers pride themselves on their herds of
oows-^cows that produce steers to top the London market.
806 A HISTOBY OF SHORT-HORN OATTLB.
Crosses of light-colored Short-horns and the
shaggy black Galloways have long been popular
feeding steers in Britain, producing a '* blue-
gray " beast that feeds out into a thick-cutting
carcass of richly-marbled beef. Needless to
add the " prime Scots " sell at fancy prices at
Smithfield and other leading English markets,
and are frequent winners at the British Na-
tional fat-cattle shows.
Smithfield Club. — England is epicurean in
relation to its meats. John Bull lives much in
the open air. He is in vigorous physical health.
His digestion is not impaired. He is the world's
best custom erf or rich, well-ripened «uts of beef.
He not only originated all of the improved
breeds of beef cattle, but more than a century
ago provided for a public test as to the relative
merits of the rival types.
The Smithfield Club of London was insti-
tuted as "The Smithfield Cattle and Sheep So-
ciety," Dec. 17, 1798, and held its first exhibi-
tion at Smithfield the following year. The title
"Smithfield Club" was permanently adopted in
1802. The club started with 113 members, and
at the initial show the sum of £52 10s. was of-
fered in prizes. In 1898 the membership had
increased to 1,120 with prizes amounting to
£4,965 lis. Classes are now made for Short-
horns, Herefords, Aberdeen-Angus, Galloways,
Devons, Sussex, Red Polls, Welsh, Highlanders,
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED.
807
cross-breds and small cattle not otherwise eli-
gible. After the first few shows the exhibition
was discontinued for a period of twenty years,
extending from 1809 to 1829. The official rec-
ord of awards for the sixty-seven years, begin-
ning with the show of 1830, reveals the fact
that thirty-five championships have been won
by pure-bred Short-horn steers, and that seven
other champions were crosses of Short-horn
blood with other breeds. Since 1845 medals
have been given for the best fat cow or heifer
in the show, and during the fifty-two years,
ended in 1897, no less than thirty-four of these
championships were won by pure-bred Short-
horns.* Two other female championships have
•At the Smiihfleld Olub show of December, 1876, the first prise of £30
and a sllTer medal to the breeder In a olaas of nine entries for best fat cow
four years old or over, was awarded to the Renlok-bred exi>. Duchess
lOtb (known In England as Bed Rose of Bannoch), a " red-and- white ** by Joe
Johnson (8U40) out of Duchess 4th by Alrdrle (a036&). She was exhibited
upon that occasion by the Earl of Dunmore at a live weight of 1.908 lbs., de-
featlnir the ^owneley-bred Baron Oxford's Duchess. So far as we have
record this is the only case of an American-bred Short-horn being exhibited
at that show. The late Abram Benlck naturally prised this Smithfleld
medal highly, and by the courtesy of Mr. Abram Benlck the yoiuger we
are permitted to present a reproduction of it herewith.
808 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
been awarded to animals carrying a Short-hom
cross. From this it appears that the breed has
easily held its own against the combined oppo-
sition of all rival sorts.
American Fat-Stock Show.— As already men-
tioned the establishment of the American Pat-
Stock Show under the auspices of the Illinois
State Board of Agriculture, Chicago, in the
autumn of 1878, marked an epoch in the his-
tory of the breed in the United States. It sub-
stituted for the often misleading tests of the
auction ring a public competition based solely
on demonstrated merit for feeding purposes; in
which considerations of pedigree, pride of birth
and ancestry were absolutely eliminated. It
established a test, the results of which were
worked out by the cold logic of the scales and
the judgment of butchers and feeders. It
forced the breeders of Short-horns to seek a
class of cattle that could successfully contend
with such highly specialized beef types as the
Herefords, Aberdeen- Angus and Galloways; and
the manner in which the great dual-purpose
breed responded to the call thus made upon it
afford^s striking demonstration of the inherent
capabilities of the race. In these day of "baby
beef" it is interesting to note the ages and
weights of the steers with which prizes were
won at the initial shows,
John D. Gillett of Elkhart, 111., who had
JOHN D. GILLETT» Elkhabt, III.
Father of the American Export Butlock Trodt,
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED. 809
gained international fame as the father of the
trade in export bullocks to Great Britain,* was
from the beginning an enthusiastic supporter
of the show, winning the first championship in
1878 with the Short-horn steer John Sherman,
about three years and seven months old, weigh-
ing 2,195 lbs. Van Meter and Hamiltons of Ken-
tucky exhibited bullocks mainly of the Young
* John Dean Gillett (descended from a French Huiruenot family which
emigrated to this conntry in 1681 and settled at Lebanon, Conn.) was bom
April K, 1819, at Fair Haven, Conn. He attended the Lanoastrean School
in New Haven, and at thea«e of 17 he went by sea to Georgia to Tlsit an
nncle and acted for two years as a clerk in his uncle's store. In 1888 he
returned to Connecticut, where for three months he attended Pearl's
Academy. In the autumn of 1888 he left his native State, and in forty-two
days made the trip from New Haven to Illinois, going down the Ohio Kiver
from Pittsburg to Cairo, thence up the Mississippi to St Louis, and then
by stage to Springfield, 111. A walk of twenty miles brought him to Bald
Knob, where his uncle lived. Next morning he went to work for the latter
at 18 a month ; two years after (1840) he had saved up enough money to
enter, at HJft an acre, for^ acres of rich prairie land near what is now
(SomlaDd, Logan Ck>., 111. He began farming for himself In that year. He
bought all the land he could possibly acquire with his savings and culti-
vated every acre of it Com beinv worth only six to eight cents per bushel
would not pay, but com fed to cattle and hogs would. He soon formed
the purpose of breeding a line of graded stock for the Eastern trade which
would excel anything In the market He bought the best bulls and cows of
his neighbors, and about 1880 bought from Judge Skinner of Mount Pulaski
a ** Durham ** bull which had been brought from Kentucky. This bull was a
blue-roan of the Patton stock. He raised the first thirteen roan calves
from him and fed them to maturity— the first cattle of his own breeding
and raising he ever marketed—and sold them to James Jones of Ohio, who
drove them East, probably to Buffalo, N. T., as that was the big cattle
market at that time. Mr. Gillett always bought his bulls from outside
sources. Whenever he saw a Short-hom cow or bull that would come up
to his idea as to what a beef animal should be he bought it He was in hia
prime as a cattle-breeder and shipper from about 1871, when he first began
to ship cattle to England until 1888, when he died. His herd was constantly
increasing, and while unregistered was practically pure bred. He owned
at his death about 19,000 acres of land, about 1.000 head of cows of his own
raising and breeding and thef r increase for two years, making a herd of
nearly 8,000 head. A striking portrait of Mr. Gillett may be seen in terra>
cotta relief work at the entrance to the Bank Building at the Chicago Union
Stock- Yards— A deserved tribute to his prominence in the Western cattle
810 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
Mary family, weighing from 2,000 to 2,440 lbs.
each. These cattle were three and four years old.
At the show of 1879 the championship fell
to the Kentucky-bred roan three-year-old steer
Nichols, shown by J. H. Graves at a weight
of 2,060 lbs. He represented mainly the Duke
of Airdrie and Renick blood, and was a grand
specimen of the best type of prime beeves in
demand at that period. Even at this early
day a call was made for the abolition of the
class for four-year-olds. After the holding of
the second show it was pointed out that the
championships had both been won by three-
year-olds. Besides this Mr. Gillett had under-
taken to carry over the champion of the first
show in the hope of winning again at the
second, but he came back so rough and tallowy
that he failed to receive even second" prize.
Notwithstanding this fact Nichols was re-
turned to the show of 1880* and again received
championship honors, tipping the scales at the
great weight of 2,465 lbs. Mr. Gillett was
again prominent as an exhibitor, but as he
brought his cattle direct from the pastures
without special handling or fitting in the mod-
*NlcholB was ahownat the exhibition of 1879 as a pure- bred Short-horn,
but his exhibitor acting upon information alleged to have been snbee-
quently furnished, presented him at the show of 1880 as a rrade. The
steer's a^e was also called in question and a heated controversy was
wafred in reference to him during the exhibition of 1880. . There was no
question as to his outstanding- superiority or as to his heing to alllntentf
and purposes a purely-bred Short-horn.
A DUAL-PUBPOSB BREED. 811
em sense of the term* his steers were faulted
as lacking in show-yard finish.
Mr. John B. Sherman of the Chicago Union
Stock- Yards for many seasons made a practice
of buying and maintaining in a show barn at
the yards fine specimens of the best show steers
from year to year, and at the exhibition of
1880 he presented at the Fat-Stock Show the
monster Short-hom Nels Morris at an official
weight of 3,125 lbs., which is, we believe, the
record for weight at these shows. For some
years a class for heaviest fat steers was main-
tained, but as it only served to bring out an
aggregation of unprofitable mountains of tal-
low it was properly abandoned. Messrs. Dodge
of Ohio had a pair of pure-bred twin four-year-
old Short-horn steers at the show of 1882,
weighing together 5,250 lbs. The four-year-old
class was dropped after the show of 1880.
Mr. Gillett gained the championship in 1881
with his celebrated red bullock McMuUen at a
weight of 2,095 lbs., after a hotly contested
fight with Miller's grade Hereford Conqueror.
Morrow & Muir of Kentucky exhibited a good
load of Short-horns at this show, and entries
were also made by J. H. Potts & Son and the
Bow Park management, the latter exhibiting
the champion cow, Lady Aberdeen 3d.
McMuUen came back to the show of 1882,
having made a gain for the year of 470 lbs.,
812 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
•
and repeated his championship winning of the
previous year at a weight of 2,565 lbs. He was
a good type of the old-fashioned sort, possess-
ing a table back and enormous size, but stand-
ing rather high from the ground. The Messrs.
Groff of Canada supplied a great 2,400-lb. steer
at this show called Canadian Champion, that
had a more even distribution of thick flesh
than McMuUen, and John Hope appeared from
Bow Park with his famous Bates-bred white
bullock, Clarence Kirklevington, as a yearling,
weighing 1,620 lbs. Messrs. Potts had a re-
markable steer in this show also, known as Red
Major, a well-ripened bullock weighing 1,600
lbs. at 715 days old. The late Hon. D. M, Mon-
inger, of Galvin, la., one of the most noted
of the Trans-Mississippi feeders of his day,
and a disciple of John D. Gillett, exhibited in
1882 his famous "Crimson Herd," including the
good, thick-fleshed, short-legged 1,945-lb. steer
Tom Brown.
In 1883 Mr. C. M. Culbertson, Newman, 111.,
won the championship with a roan white-faced
steer, Roan Boy, sired by a Hereford bull out of
a Short-horn cow, both factions claiming a full
share of the honor of the award. This was a
memorable show, the grade class being perhaps
the largest ever seen at this exhibition, and re-
markable for the large number of Herefords
shown by Messrs. Earl & Stuart, Fowler &
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED. 813
Van Natta, Culbertson, Seabury & Sample and
Thomas Clark. An interesting feature of this
show was the exhibition by Geary Bros, of
Canada of the imported Aberdeen- Angus three-
year-old bullock Black Prince. Another noted
animal was Fowler & Van Natta's Benton's
Champion, sired by a Hereford bull out of a
grade Short-horn dam.* Clarence Kirkleving-
ton was also 'forward as a two-year-old, win-
ning first in his class. Other notable entries
were Imboden's Short-horn Scratch, Tom
Clark's Hereford Tuck, and Adams Earl's Here-
ford Wabash.
Eighteen hundred and eighty-four was Clar-
ence Kirklevington's year. The lordly snow-
white bullock came forward that season at a
weight of 2,400 lbs., and with his beautiful
head, superb finish, great scale and command-
ing show-yard presence was not to be denied
championship honors. After beating down all
opposition on foot he finished his triumphant
career by gaining the championship in the
dressed carcass contest, although this lat-
ter award did not escape severe criticism.
Another grand Short-horu steer at this same
show was Morrow & Renick's Kentucky-bred
roan, Schooler, one of the handsomest bullocks
*A fat-Btock show was held this year at Kansas Clt7f At which the
championship was gained by J. H. Potts & Son*s Short-horn yrade Star-
light, welffhlnff 2.170 lbs. That show was continued for several years, but
was finally abandoned on aocount of depression in the Western cattle
trade.
814 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN OATTLB.
ever seen at a fat-stock show in this country.
The richly- fleshed grade Short-horn Charley
Ross, shown by Messrs. Ross of Ohio, defeated
at this show a large and excellent ring of three-
year-olds representing the different breeds. In
1885 and again in 1886 the Heref ords bore away
the chief honors with the grade Regains and
the pure-bred Rudolph Jr., the former shown
by Fowler & Van Natta and the latter by George
Morgan. A remarkably handsome yearling
pure-bred Short-horn known as Cleveland was
shown by Messrs. Elbert & Fall of Albia, la., at
the show of 1885, winning the yearling cham-
pionship.* Rudolph Jr., the Hereford, was the
first young steer of the "pony" type to win a
championship at these shows, and it was notice-
able that the two-year-olds of all breeds were
beginning to come forward much stronger rela-
tively than the older cattle. The show was be-
ginning to bear fruit. The idea that cattle
could be profitably fed until four years old was
being i-apidly exploded.f So practical and suc-
•Meaan. Elbert & Fall were for many years prominent breeders of
lyore^bred Short-horns, handling many excellent cattle and tniLirt^ig «
number of very successful public sales. They became the owners of the
Bates-bred stock, of Colonel H. M. Valle of Independence, Mo., famoiis for
the merit of the Waterloos.
t We belleye that Messrs. James N. Brown*s Sons of Wanyamon County
were the first to advocate classes for calves and yearlings at the fat-stook
show. Mr. William Brown of that firm, whose genial personalty and high
intelligence have endeared him to a wide circle of friends and acquaint-
ances, usually represented the firm upon such occasions, and it must be
recorded that Orove Park in the early days of the fat-stock show lived up
to the best traditions of its earlier years when it was the primary aooroe
of Short-horn power in the State of Illinois.
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED. 815
cessful a man as John D. Gillett stated pub-
licly that he had abandoned his former methods
and was now aiming to market cattle at about
thirty months old.
At the show of 1887 Short-horns resumed
their winning; the championship being carried
by I). M. Moninger's Doctor Glick — ^an 1,855-lb.
two-year-old grade. The champion of the class
for pure-bred Short-horns was J. J. Hill's three-
year-old Prentice, representing a cross of his
Oxford bull upon one of his mixed-bred cows.
Moffat Bros., Paw Paw, 111., had a wonderfully
thick two-year-old in this show — Cruickshank
2d, sired by imp. Amherst and weighing 1,705
lbs. In 1888 the Aberdeen- Angus Dot, bred by
Wallace Estill and shown by Mr. Imboden re-
ceived chief honora of the show; his closest
competitor at the finish being the two-year-old
Short-horn Brant Chief from Bow Park. The
Angus weighed 1,515 lbs. at 863 days, an aver-
age gain per day of 1.75. The Short-horn
weighed 1,890 lbs. at 1,022 days, an average
gain per day of 1.85. One of the strongest
steers of this show was Potts' Richmond, and
another capital entry was Blish & Son's year-
ling Mark, sired by Dick Taylor of Glenwood.
The champion of the show of 1889 was Elbert
& Fall's grade twg-year-old Short-horn Rigdon,
a son of the Duchess bull 2d Duke of Brant,
shown in beautiful bloom at a weight of 1,950
816 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
lbs. The champion of the Short-horn class at
this show was J. J. Hill's Britisher, a sappy,
thick-fleshed roan, got by a bull that was sired
by imp. Gambetta out of a Cruickshank Bra-
with Bud cow sired by a Bates Oxford bull.
Mr. W. H. Renick, who had been a persistent
and successful exhibitor, showing cattle full of
the Rose of Sharon blood, was also well repre-
sented in this exhibition by the handsome two-
year-old bullocks Nonesuch and Twilight, that
divided the ballots of Messrs. Moberley and
Gosling in their class. At the show of 1890
Nonesuch came back and carried off the cham-
pionship in his three-year-old form at a weight
of 2,090 lbs.
In 1891 the three-year-old class was dropped;
so general had become the conviction that the
three-year-olds should no longer be encouraged.
The abolition of this class, together with the
depressing influence of a dragging market
throughout the entire country for pure-bred
cattle, materially decreased the size of the
show. The exhibition, while it had been im-
mensely popular with all close students of the
problems of profitable meat production, had
never been a financial success. It had now en-
tered upon a serious decline, and, as the large
Exposition Building upon the Chicago Lake
Front, in which the shows had been held from
the beginning, was about to be torn down the
A DUAL-PURPOSE BRBBD. 817
management abandoned the exhibition after the
show of 1891, at which the championship was
won by Mr. Van Natta's tworyear-old Hereford
Hickory Nut. The champion of the Short-horn
class at this final show was Potts' Captain. The
yearling championship of the hall was won by
John Gosling's Bob Cass, a three-quarter-bred
Short-horn; the calf championship falling to
Milton E. Jones' Tallmadge, sired by Spartan
Hero.* In the fallof 1892, through the efforts
of private individuals, a so-called "emergency"
show was held at the stock-yards, at which the
champion prize was awarded Potts & Son's
King. In 1893 at the Columbian Show the
championship fell to Milton E. Jones of Wil-
* During the palmy days of the American fat-stook show, when the
rivalry of the breeds was at its height, the annual meetlnirs of the various
National associations of breeders were characterized by an enthusiasm
which has had no parallel in the history of the American live-stock trade.
The old Qrand Pacific Hotel in Chicago, under the management of the
late John B. Drake and Samuel Parker, was the favorite rendezvous for a
coterie of choice spirits whose lives were devoted to the cattle trade; and
many an interesting "session" has been held beneath the roof of that
famous old-time hostelry. It was the one occasion of the entire year when
the wealthy fanciers, substantial breeders, the '* field marshals " of the
feeding fraternity, and in fact all who were interested in the fortunes of
any of the leading breeds came together for an interchange of ideas and
for the indulgence of that spirit of camaraderie that has ever characterised
those who devote themselves heart and soul to the breeding and fitting of
the improved types of domestic animals. During the day all hands would
devote themselves to the excitements of the show in progress in the old
Exposition Building on the Lake Front, or to the auction sales in progress
at Dexter Park. At night around the banquet board, or under the mellow-
ing Infiuences of good company and an occasional bottle there would be a
** feast of reason and a fiow of soul '* that lingered long in the memories of
those who were privileged to enter the charmed circle. Those golden
days are gone, perhaps never to return. Many of the leading spirits have
passed away, but those who survive will never cease to rejoice that they
Were permitted to participate in the scenes which will always cluster
around their recollections of the Grand Pacific.
818 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
liamsville, 111., on the two-year-old Short-horn
Banner Bearer. In 1894 the Illinois State Board
made one final effort, holding an exhibition at
Tattersairs in Chicago, the Short-horns leaving
off, as they had begun in 1878, by capturing the
championship, the award going to J. H. Potts
& Son's Whiskers of Milton E. Jones' breeding.
Since that date America has unfortunately been
without a fat-stock show. It appears from the
above record that the Short-horns won eleven
out of the sixteen championships awarded, be-
sides contributing to the blood of two of the
grade Hereford champions.
On the range. — As already stated it was the
blood of Short-horn bulls that laid the founda-
tion for the present improved class of cattle
coming from the Western ranges. Large num-
bers of them had been used throughout the
Western country before the Herefords were
bred in the Western States, so that when the
'* white-faced" bulls began going upon the
ranges the cow herds were in many instances
well graded up with Short-horn blood. The
Southwest has been the great breeding ground
of the new West and few men are better qual-
ified to speak of the manner in which the great
herds of the Texas Panhandle have been
brought to their present level than Mr. Charles
Goodnight. In a recent letter to the author
Mr. Goodnight, who is recognized as one of
A DUAL-PURPOSE BBBED. 819
the leaders in the improvement of Southwest-
ern herds, says:
When I came into the Panhandle of Texas it was an unsettled
wild, being some 260 miles to the nearest settlement toward the
E^st and Southeast. Having no communication with the settled
portion of the State for a number of years I cannot advise you as
to the date when they commenced to breed Short-horns in these
districts. I came to the Panhandle in 1876 from Colorado, bringing
with me, among other cattle, about 180 high-grade and some pure-
bred Short-horns, or ** Durhams," as we were accustomed to call
them. I had bought in Kentucky in 1800 114 head of pedigreed
Short-horn bulls as calves, and used them to great advantage.
Some years later I bought about 800 high-grade and pedigreed
Short-horns in Kansas and Missouri, and from this '* plant '* the
Panhandle of Texas was largely '* blooded.'
At a later date these cattle and their descendants were crossed
by Herefords, from which cross sprung some of the most noted of
existing Panhandle herds. In this altitude and climate the great-
est success is attained by this cross, and we will continue to so
breed cattle in this part of the country.
Mr. Murdo Mackenzie, manager for the Mat-
ador Laiid and Cattle Co., one of the largest
"outfits" in the Panhandle country, confirms
Mr. Goodnight's testimony as to the partiality
of Southwestern ranchmen for a dip of Short-
horn blood. While other breeds have staunch
friends and will undoubtedly continue to be
largely used in the Western trade, Mr. Mac-
kenzie, in common with most other unpreju-
diced men, claims that the blood of the Short-
horn will ever remain a prime factor in main-
taining the size, of the Southwestern stock.
He states that on the occasion of a recent visit
to the great X I T range, the largest in the
world, the property of the Capitol Syndicate, he
, 820 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
called the attention of the manager to the fact
that the Short-hom steers would average sev-
enty-five pounds heavier than those in which
other bloods predominated, which fact was
promptly admitted. No man in the American
cattle trade stands higher than Murdo Macken-
zie. A large buyer and user of Herefords him-
self, his statements herewith quoted, made in
the course of a recent interview with the au-
thor, reflect not the partisanship of a Short-
horn breeder, but the deliberate judgment of
one of the best informed and most intelligent
of the present generation of brainy cattlemen
operating on the Western range.
Similar testimony comes from every nook
and comer of the great grazing grounds of the
Western plains and mountain valleys as well
as from the Pacific Slope.* In the Northwest
Short-horn blood has been in demand ever
since neat cattle superseded the buffalo. Con-
rad Kohrs,t Pierre Wibaux and their contem-
poraries have spread the Short-horn colors ev-
•Pure-bred Short-b urns were introduced Into Calif omia a rreat many
years affo and the blood has been freely used upon the immense ranches of
that State. One of the most notable shipments ever sent to the Coast waa
a purchase made by John D. Carr from CoL William S. Kinr of Ltjndale.
which included amon«r other celebrities the greai imported Cniicksluuik
cow Chrlstabel, by Champion of England.
t Conrad Kohrs made his first largre investment in Northwestern cattle
in 1866, when he bought from ** Johnnie" Grant a large herd oontaininff
many well-bred Short-horns. In 1871 he began buying Short-horn bolls on
an extensive scale throughout the corn-belt. His annual shipments of
beef cattle to Eastern markets have averaged about 8,000 head, and these,
on account of their good breeding, have uniformly commanded a hlch
price
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED. 821
erywhere throughout the Northern range. In
the course of a recent letter to the author Mr.
Wibaux says:
I will simply say this, that the Short-horn is the only bull to
use in a free-grB^ng country. I bougrht my first one in Kentucky
in 1888 and haye been using them ever since. Wheneyer I haye
branched out with other breeds \ have been sorry for it, as the
increase would then be reduced in size or of bad color. Our oldest
herds in Montana, and the best we ever had, were bred from the
Short-horn.
Mr. Wibaux ranks as one of the "cattle
kings" of the West and while his testimony
may sound rather radical it serves to demon-
strate that notwithstanding the admitted value
and popularity of other breeds in connection
with Western ranching the Short-horn has a
permanent hold in that trade as well as among
the farmers, feeders and dairymen of the older
States.
Dairy capacity. — From the earliest periods
the breed has produced cows of splendid capac-
ity at tl^e pail. One of the first of the English
breeders to pay special attention to the dairy
quality of his herd was Jonas Whitaker, whose
cows were celebrated throughout all England
for their splendid udders and heavy flow of
milk. Bates was always proud of his butter
records. Indeed, in the early days there was
scarcely a herd of note that did not possess cows
of exceptional capacity in this direction. Even
at Killerby and Warlaby, where beef was the
prime consideration, deep-milking cows were
Ma'-
and the East were s
this regard; the desct
cows as Pansy, Arab
Princesses and many
ful supplies of dairy ]
ing from the earlier 0
tations, although not 1:
as were those of the ;
dairy work, often gav«
their lusty calves cou
The earlier volumes of
contain many referem
and butter records, anc
times we have the offi
records of various Stat
colleges, as well as pi
that this valuable trai
and wherever the necei
cultivate it. This is a*
country as it is in th
shown by the official i
Dairy Show and by the 1
1 1 CI 1^ J .^ "1
DOWAGEK 8d.
Fif9i-Prize Dairy Cow at tht Royal English Shows of 1H92 and tti93.
Produced 561 ItM. of butter in 12 month».
MOLLY MILLICENT.
The VelebraUd Bnglieh Show Cow. Bred and exhitAted by Robt. r/kompwm,
IngUwood^ Penrith. (Reproduced from drawing in **London
Live Stcck JoumaL")
I I !
:\ 'if
'i '
A DUAL-PURP08B BREED. 823
is one which may lie dormant if neglected
and which is yet susceptible of cultivation to
a remarkable degree. At present a lai^e pro-
portion of Short-horn breeders devote their at-
tention rather to the development of the feed-
ing and fleshing qualities of their stock at the
expense of the milk-making proclivities. This
is a point which needs attention. It is a well-
known fact that the best milkers, as a rule,
prove the best mothers, rear the best calves
and thus become the most reliable sources of
profit in the herd. A typical Short-horn cow
should require no " wet-nurse " for her progeny,
and by a judicious system of selection and
management any good breeding herd may be-
come noted for its milk as well as for its beef.
In this fact lies the chief gloiy of the Short-
horn.*
State fair tests. — We can conceive of no
place more thoroughly unsuited for the proper
testing of dairy cows than our American State
fairs. Few animals can be expected to do
themselves justice immediately after a railway
journey, set down in the midst of new and un-
* Space will not admit of our endeavorlxif to Collect and set forth the
many remarkable milk and butter records made by Short-bom cowa In
Bngland. We are Indebted to Prof. W. J. Kennedy of the IlllnoU Agricul-
tural Bxpertment Station for the portrait of the EnrUsh-bred cow Dowager
8d. which la reproduced in this volume. This cow was bred and owned by
Mr. C. A. Pratt, Buahford, Evesham, Emr*. and was flrat-priae winner at
the &oyal shows of 189S and 1898, besides provlnar the best dairy cow by
actual test. Her milk record was 68 lbs. in one day, from which S lbs. 10 os.
of butter were made. She was a maflrnlfloent type of the dual-purpose sort
and had a butter record of 661 lbs. in one year.
824 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN OATTLB.
favorable surroundings under the uncertain
influences of a change of feed and water. Nev-
ertheless, various State boards of agriculture
have offered prizes for short tests officially con-
ducted upon these occasions, and in proof of
what Short-horns can do even under these con-
ditions the following figures are submitted:
New York State Fair in 1889, FiUpaU 8d (Vol. XXXIV, page
088) in twenty-four hours gaye 803^ lbs. of milk, from which IJ^
lbs. of butter were made. At same fair Betsy 7th ( VoL XXXV)
in twenty-four hours gaye 19^ lbs. of milk, from which 8 lbs. and
}^ OS. of butter was made. Fillpail 8d had produced her calf
ninety-seyen days before and Betsy 7th 176 days before.
Indiana State Fair 1889, WUd Duchess of Oxford (Vol. XXXH,
page 467), test from Sept. 9 to Sept. 16, indusiye, 7 lbs. 12 oz of
butter were made, weighed after the second working and free
from buttermilk. The test on the fair grounds was twenty-four
hours, in which time she gaye 82 lbs. 73^ oz. of milk.
Missouri State Fair, same year, Red Rosa (Vol. XXVIII, pa^^e
1007) in twenty-four hours gaye 8 gals. 8 qts. of milk and 8 oz. of
butter. She took the second prize in sweepstakes, being beaten
by a Jersey giying 2 gals. 1 qt. of milk, yielding 8 oz. of butter.
niinois State Fair in 1890, Ck>ra B. (Vol. XXV, page 660),
twenty-four hours test gaye 2i>^ lbs. milk ; total solids, 8.017.
Beatitude gaye 21.60 lbs. of milk, total solids, 2.716. ^
Michigan State Fair 1890, Moss Rose 4th (Vol. XXXV, page
679), one day's test, butter 2 lbs. in grand sweepstakes, there being
eight entries.
Iowa State Fair 1890, Cora B. (Vol. XXV, page 660), twelye
hours' test, 25.75 lbs. milk ; butter-fat, 1.05; cream gauge, 11.60 per
cent. Valentine Gwynne (Vol. XXXVI) gaye 21)^ lbs. of milk,
butter-fat, 87; cream gauge, 10 per cent.
Kentucky Agricultural and Mechanical Association in 1890,
Carnation 48d (Vol. XXVI, page 1289) two-day test milking, one
held the week before the fair and the other on the fair groonds.
First test was 62 lbs. and on the fair grounds 12 qts. Zendayiata
(Vol. XXVI, page 1289), first test 48 lbs., on the fair grounds 12
qts. Heifers under three years old, Lakewood Lady (Vol.
XXXVI) first test 9 lbs., on the fair ground 3^ qts. Chautauqua
Belle, first test 11 lbs. and on the fair ground 6 qts.
r
i to
• »
I?
^ 5)
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED. 825
New York State Fair in 1890, Kitty Clay 8d (VoL ZXI, page
668) gave 42 lbs. 13 oz. milk from which 1 lb. 11 oz. of batter was
made, unaaited. Constance of Brookdale 28th (Vol XXXIH, page
696) gaye 42 lbs. 3 oz. of milk and 1 lb. 8 oz. of batter was made.
Chaataaqna Belle 86th gave 28 lbs. 10 oz. of milk from which 12 oz.
of butter was made. Lakewood Lady (Vol. XXXVI) gave 11 lbs.
8 oz., from which 8 oz. of butter was made, the two latter being in
the younger class.
Western PennsylTania Agricultural Association in 1800, Dolly
2d (Vol. XXXIV, page 618), 62 lbs. 15 oz. of milk, lactometer test
110 per cent aboTe State standard. The actual worth of milk at
91.60 per hundred, 79 per cent. Actual worth of milk $1.16, cost of
feed, twenty-six days test, 40 cents. Net gain in two days test,
56 cents. Bracelet 11th (XXVll, page 685), weight of milk, 71 lbs.
18 oz. ; lactometer test 109 per cent aboTe State standard. Current
worth of milk at $1.60 per hundred was $1.07. Actual worth of
milk at $1.60 per hundred, $1.29; cost of feed two^day test, 74
cents. Net gain, 56 cents.
Nebraska State Board of Agriculture in 1890, 5th Bfistletoe of
the Grove (VoL XIX, page 14718)« two days test; first day, milk,
827-16 lbs. ; butter, 1.46 lbs. ; second day, milk, 28 9-16 lbs. ; butter, 27
lbs. ; total milk for two days, 61 lbs. ; total amount of butter in two
days, 2.78. Cora B. (Vol. XXV, page 660), first day, milk, 88 lbs.
1 oz. ; butter, 1.17 lbs. ; second day, milk, 26 7-16 lbs. ; butter, 99 lbs. ;
total milk for two days, 69K lbs. ; total butter, 2.16.
California State Fair in 1891, Cherry Leaf (Vol. XXvii, page
868), in the two^day test, gaye 2.114 lbs. Mountain Blaid (Vol.
XXX, page 801) in same test gave 1.18 lbs. butter.
Indiana State Fair in 1891, Addie (Vol. XXXVI, page 8S9) , in the
two-day test, gave 1.875 lbs. butter.
Kansas State Fair in 1891, Geneyieye (Vol. XXXVI, page 860) ,
in the two-day test, made 2.888 lbs. butter. Betsy 4th (Vol. XXX,
page 601), same test, made 2.822 lbs.
Kentucky Agricultural and Mechanical Association in 1891,
Bridesmaid (Vol. XXV. page 1298), in the two-day test, 2.656 lbs.
of butter were made. Carnation 4Sd (Vol. XXXVI, page 1289) , in
the two-day test, 2,848 lbs.
Blichigan State Fair in 1891, Moss Rose 4th (Vol. XXXV, page
579), in the two-day test, made 8.26 lbs.
Missouri State Fair in 1891, Ada of IdlewUd (VoL XXXIV,
page 615), in the two-day test, made 1.74 lbs.
New York State Fair in 1891, FiUpaU 8d (VoL XXXIV, page.
826 A HI8T0RY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLB,
028), in the two-day test, made 8.20 lbs. Isa (VoL XXXIV, iHige
780), in the two^ay test, gave 8.05 lbs.
Nebraska State Fair in 1891, Lady Jane Constance (Vol. XXXI,
page 747), in the two-day test, made 2.06 lbs. Maggie Ganter
(Vol. XXXTI, page 606), made 2.04 lbs.
Ohio State Fair in 1891, Bracelet 11th (Vol. XXVII, page 685),
in two days gave 8.21 lbs. butter.
Western Pennsylvania Agricultoral Association in 1891, Ver-
vain (VoL XXXrV, page 826), in the two-day test, made 4.2 Iba.
Dolly 2d (Vol. XXXTV, page 618), in the two-day teat, gave
8.867 lbs.
At the Western Fair at Ontario in 1891, Matilda H. (VoL
X XXVII), in the two-day test, made 2.181 lbs.
Wisconsin State Fair in 1891, Lady Campbell (VoL XXV, page
841), in the two-day test, gave 2.4.
The Columbian records. — Id connection with
the live-stock exhibit at the World's CJolumbian
Exposition in Chicago in 1893 the most elabor-
ate official test of the relative capacities of
dairy cows of which there is record was held.
It goes without saying that show-yard sur-
roundings are not conducive to the best results
in performances of this kind. The most that
can be said for such contests is that they are
as fair for one breed as another. The Colum-
bian test covered milk and butter production
as well as cheese-making, and extended over
the period from May 11 to Oct. 4, the cows
being subject to close confinement in tem-
porary accommodations and endured the mid-
summer heat. The American Jersey Cattle
Club appropriated the sum of $40,000 for the
purpose of making the strongest possible pre-
sentation of the claims of that famous Channel
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED. 827
Island butter breed. Hundreds of carefully-
conducted tests of cows of that type had been
previously reported, so that it was compara-
tively easy to select cows of known capacity
to represent that popular breed upon this occa-
sion. The American Guernsey Cattle Club
also made provision for a choice collection of
tested cows. The Holstein-Friesian breeders
expressed dissatisfaction with some of the pro-
visions under which the tests were to be con-
ducted and declined to enter. The American
Short-horn Breeders' Association, with com-
mendable enterprise, resolved to take advan-
tage of the occasion to prove that the "red,
white and roans " would milk as well as make
beef, and the task of locating and collect-
ing cows for that purpose was entrusted to
Hon. H. H. Hinds of Stanton, Mich. In
spite of the fact that insu£Scient data was at
hand for the prompt prosecution of the work,
Mr. Hinds succeeded in obtaining the requisite
twenty-five head, and it was largely due to his
efficient and unremitting efforts that such a
satisfactory showing was made for the Short-
horns in the face of the strongest opposition
from the special dairy breeds mentioned.
Bearing in mind the fact that the Short-horns
have been bred for beef to a far greater extent
than in the direction of dairy performance, the
comparisons shown by the subjoined summary
828 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
furnish conclusive demonstration of the fact
that the breed possesses latent capabilities as
dairy stock, requiring only proper attention to
render it an important factor in the calcula-
tions of general farmers and dairymen :
In test number one, for cheese-making, extending from Biay 11
to May 26, the Jersey herd stood first, the Guernseys second and
the Short-horns third; the award being based on net cost of pro-
duction. Nevertheless, the Short-horns yielded 12,186.9 lbs. of
milk, firom which was made 1,077.6 lbs. cheese. The best indiyid-
ual record made by any cow in this test was 70.02 lbs. of cheese by
the Jersey cow Ida Marigold, produced at a net profit of $6.07.
The Short-horn cow Nora made during the same period 60 66 lbs.
at a net profit of 16.27. The best Guernsey made 60.06 at a net
profit of 16.27.
Test number two, extending ninety days, from May 1 to Aug.
28, was for butter-making, loss or gain of weight and cost of main-
tenance to be considered. It was not to be expected that the
Short-horn herd would be able to surpass the performance of the
highly-specialized butter breeds in sucb a contest, but the result
demonstrated for all time the dual-purpose character of Short-
hom cattle. The Jersey herd of tweoty-fiye cows produced 78«-
4/8.8 lbs. otmilk; the Short-horn herd, weakened by the loss of
two cows, produced 66,268.2 lbs. of milk, and the twenty-five
Guernseys yielded 61,781.7 lbs. of milk. The Jerseys were cred-
ited with 4,678.06 lbs. of butter, the Guernseys with 8,860.48 and
the twenty-three Short-horns with 2,800.86 lbs. of butter. Dar-
ing this same period the Short-horn cows put on 2,826 lbs. of fieah,
the Jerseys 776 lbs. and the Guernseys 466 lbs. The total value of
product produced was computed to be for the Jerseys $1,876.67, for
the Guernseys $1,466.46, and for the Short-horns $1,286^78; the net
profit credited to the Jerseys being $1,828 81, to the Guernseys
$007.68 and to the Short-horns $011.ia
In this test the Short-horn cow Nora produced 8,679.8 lbs. of
mUk, from which was made 160.67 lbs. butter, and while doing
this she gained 116 lbs. in weight. The best individual Jersey per-
formance was by Brown Bessie, that produced 8,684 lbs. of milk,
from which was made 216.66 lbs. butter and recording a gain in
live weight of eighty-one pounds. The best Guernsey, Matema,
produced 8,611.8 lbs. of milk, from which was made 186.16 lbs. bat-
ter, the cow losing thirteen pounds live weight.
KITTY CLAY 4th.
Produced lrV2ji lb», milk^ from which was made 62.24 lU. butUr, and gained
2H lb», in weight d«riny Columbian tMrfy-day buUer test.
YOUNG MARY STEER SCHOOLER.
Fint-Prize Three- Year-Old at American Fat Stock Show,
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED. 829
Test number three was for batter production only and ex-
tended thirty days, from Aug. 29 to Sept. 27. In this contest the Jer-
sey herd was credited with 887.21 lbs. batter from 18,921.9 lbs. milk,
at a net profit of 1274.84. The Guernseys produced 724.17 lbs. but-
ter from 18,518.4 lbs. milk at a net profit of $287, and the Short-
horns produced 662.66 lbs. butter from 15,618.8 lbs. milk, at a net
profit of $119.18. In this test the best Jersey cow, Brown Bessie,
produced 1,184.6 lbs. milk from which was made 72.82 lbs. butter,
and gained seven pounds liye weight, showing a net profit of
124.69. The best Guernsey cow, Purity, produced 1,012.2 lbs. milk
from which was made 54.8 lbs. butter, and gained fourteen potmds
live weight, showing a net profit of $19.87. The best Short-horn
cow. Kittle Clay 4th, produced 1,692.8 lbs. milk, from which was
made 62.24 lbs. butter, and gained twenty-eight pounds in weight,
showing a net profit of $19.57.*
•One of the cows died early In the test, so that Irat twenty-fonr head
were really available. The list (arranged In the order In which they
ranked at the conclusion of the ninety-day butter teat) was as f ollowa :
Nora (Vol. 80), bred by D. Sheehan & Sons, Iowa.
Genevteve (Vol. 88, p. 860), bred by W. W. Waltmire, Kansas.
Waterloo Daisy (Dominion Herd Book), bred by D. Seed, Ontario.
Betsy 7th (VoL 35, p. 925). bred by 8. Spencer & Son, New York.
Bashful ad (YoL 35, p. 880), bred by William Duthle, Scotland.
Plumwood Bell M (YoL 82, p. 641), bred by C. Hints, Ohio.
Fair Maid of Hullett M ( Yol. 80), bred by William Orainger, Ontario.
Emma Abbott 8d (YoL 89), bred by I. U. Wetmore, Illinois.
BeUe Prince ad (YoL 80, p. 402). bred by C. M. Clark, Wisconsin.
Boss (YoL 86, p. 714), bred by J. W. Stewart, Pennsylvania.
Azalia (YoL 37, p. 741). bred by A. Horse, New York.
Lady Bright (Dominion Herd Book), bred by J. O. Wright, Ontario.
Kitty Clay 7th (YoL 88, p. 671), bred by Joseph Garfield, New York.
Marchioness 6th (Dominion Herd Book), bred by Ballantine h Son,
Ontario.
Lucy Ann (YoL 85, p. 925), bred by H. H. Jones, New York.
Maude's Antarctic (YoL 80, p. 798), bred by W. W. Brim, Ohio.
Maid of Oxford 8d (YoL 82, p. 790), bred by A. Morse.
Isa (YoL 34, p. 780), bred by A. Morse.
Fancy 11th (YoL 30), bred by J. C. Thornton & Son, Pennsylvania.
Royal Duchess (Dominion Herd Book), bred by D. Marlatt, Ontario.
Orange Girl (YoL 37, p. 718), bred by B. R Merrlwether & Son, Illinois.
Butterfly 8d, (YoL 80. p. 407), bred by Hon. Bmory Cobb, Illinois.
Maid of Oxford 2d (YoL 8L p. 812), bred by A. Morse.
FiUpail 9th (YoL 97, p. 872), bred by S. Spencer & Son.
In \he thirty-day butter test the privilege of bringing in othe* cows
was granted, and Kitty Clays 8d and 4th, from the herd of Mr. J. K. Innes
Granville Center, Pa., materially strengthened the Short-horn forces
From the Spencer herd came Kitty C^lay 5th, so that this family had more
representatives in the test than any other
I ! I
'iiiimiiniiii
YV
w — • -^ "v«Quw. xu bX
87.48 lbs. butter and gfained Ifl
of 111.28. The Short-horn h
28.86 lbs. butter, gained in li
day), at a net profit of $10.97.
In tests where gain in live
pound was made uniform in es
be pointed out that the Short-
would have commanded more j
their competitors. It is of Int
two, three and four the three
Clay 4th and Miss Renick 24th,
6,880 lbs. of milk from the best
The Wisconifai ex]
sin Agricultural Exp
dertaken a study of i
cows representing tin
those of the dual-purpc
W. D. Hoard, H. C. Ta
than whom there are p
of special dairy stock
Jersey for this test, g
like number of grade G
grade Jerseys were boi
lyle, whose object in
forth in the following 1
Tf k«« 1 _-
A DUAL-PURPOSE BRBBB. 881
sufficient milk to rear their young. The great cattle ranges of
the West are too near, and the competition too unequal to permit
of our fiirmers embarking in exclusive beef raising to any great
extent. On the other hand, the majority of our farmers are ap-
parently not desirous of keeping the so-called special-purpose
dairy cattle. They would like to keep a class of cattle, if such
could be obtained, that would give a sufficiently large quantity of
milk and butter-fat to return a fair profit on the feed and care
given them, and at the same time produce steers that would feed
well for beef.
The first year's work with this set of cows
closed with the grade Short-horn Rose estab-
lished as the greatest producer in the herd;
returning the greatest profit over cost of feed,
although milked only 326 days out of the 365.
During that time she produced 10,163 lbs. of
milk, containing 433.82 lbs. of butter-fat, the
equivalent of 506.12 lbs. of butter. The average
amount of fat in her milk for the year was 4.2
per cent. The total feed consumed during the
entire year cost $35.06. The total value of the
butter and skim-milk produced was $114.92,
leaving a profit over cost of feed of $79.86. Her
butter, produced at a cost of 6.9 cents, was
made more economically than that from any
special-purpose cow in the herd. The second
best result was obtained from one of the Guern-
sey grades, showing a profit of $68.04, but the
third best record in the herd was made by the
grade Short-horn cow Duchess, that produced
439.83 lbs. of butter at a net profit of $67.07.
Speaking of this first year's experiment Prof.
Carlyle says:
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED. 833
duced 355.1 lbs. butter; the net profit (not in-
cluding her calf) being $41.42. The roan Col-
lege Moore has produced 8,734.5 lbs. milk in
twelve months, showing an average test of 4.02
per cent fat, with a butter production of 409
lbs., yielding a net profit, not including calf, of
$37.57. These and other of the Iowa College
cows are producing and rearing some very fine
calves sired by the Scotch bull Courtier 125603,
bred by C. C. Norton, Coming, la., and sired by
Prince Bishop 67273 out of Sweet Charity 4th
by imp. Salarais 110075. Prof. Curtiss of this
station, who ranks as one of the best all-around
judges of live stock in the West at the present
time, personally selected in Scotland during the
summer of 1899, at Mr. Duthie's, the valuable
young bull Scotland's Crown, recently added to
the college herd. He states that some of the
younger cows in the herd bid fair to excel th6
performances of the two above mentioned.
Figures from New rork.— The thirteenth
annual report of the New York Agricultural
Experiment Station for the year 1894 contains
an interesting account of similar experiments
at Geneva. Seven different breeds were repre-
sented, and although there was but one Short-
horn cow in the herd (Spencer's Betsy 10th),
yet when pitted against special dairy breeds
she gave a good account of herself, as appears
from the subjoined summary:
834 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN OATTLB.
The Short-horn stood at the head of the list in the matter of
relatiye cost of mUk solids ohtained, and stood second in the com-
putation showing relative actual profit from milk. She was third
in relatiye amount of milk produced.
In butter production the Short-horn ranked third with a total
of 805.1 lbs.; the highest yield being 826.6 from the Guernseys.*
The Short-horn cow was fourth in rank in the matter of the
amount of butter obtained from each 100 lbs. of milk ; the figure in
her case standing at 6.0i as against 6.4 from the Jerseys.
From the Short-horn's milk an average of 1 lb. of butter
was made from each 10.84 lbs., as against 24.7 required in the case
of the Ayrshires and 26.6 lbs. in the case of the Holstein-Friesians.
The Short-horn was third in the matter of the average cost of
milk fat per pound produced ; this expense being in the case of the
Jerseys 16.12 cents, Guernseys 16.14 cents, Short-horn 16.18 cents;
the other breeds ranging from 19.06 to 20.47 cents.
The average cost per pound of the Short-horn butter was 15.15
as against 14.11 for the Jerseys and 14. 15 for the Guernseys; the
Short-horn ranking third.
In the matter of the average profit derived per cow from selling
butter the Short-horn was again third, with a credit of $80.06 for
one period of lactation; figures for other breeds ranging from
•14.58 to 185.25.
In the amount of cream produced the Short-horn was third,
with 1,845 lbs. f^om one period of lactation ; the range of all the
breeds being from 916.6 for the lowest to 1,427.5 for the highest. In
the item of average cost of cream per quart the Short-horn stood
next to the Jerseys and Guernseys; also ranking third in the
average money value of cream produced.
In cheese production the Short-horn ranked first ifi the item of
profit, showing the lowest relative cost of production per pound.
It was claimed that the Short-horn was pro-
ducing a calf each year worth $5 more than
that from any other cow in the test.
The milking Short-horn is in evidence in
* In his valuable work, ** American Daiirlzv.'* published by the Sanders
Publlahkur ComiNuiy, Mr. H. B. Gurler, DeKalb, IlL, gives the average
annual butter production of the 16,600,000 cows in the United States at 19b
IbB. Dairy cows to show profit must produce upward of «00 lbs. butter
per year. Upon this basis it will be obsorved that this New Torlr, as well
as other olBfiial tests, prove the Shori-horn's right to be olasaed among
those that can be profitably handled for dairy purposes.
o
>
M
o
d
►
00
o
t0
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED. 835
nearly every Northern State. Handreds of
private tests might be presented in substantia-
tion of that statement; but the following will
serve as fair illustrations of the results being
obtained by practical farmers and dairymen:
Mn. Flora Y. Spencer, formerly of New York bat now of Pennsylvania,
whose herd supplied more cows for the Colnmbian dairy test than oame
from any other one source, furnishes the following record of Short-horn
cows which she has owned :
KitUe Clyde (YoL 18), IS^BOO lbs. milk in ei^ht months; 660 lbs. of milk
in ten days, from which was made 88 lbs. of butter. Her dam, Fillpail,
gave 60 lbs. of milk per day. Kittle Clay M produced 60 lbs. of milk in one
day. Cherry 11th produced 61 lbs. of milk per day.
Lucy Ann (YoL 86) rave 8,948^ lbs. of milk in forty-seven weeks, from
which was made 436.14 lbs. butter. In seven days she gave 880 lbs. 8 os. of
milk, which produced 18.82 lbs. butter. Betsey 8th (YoL 87) made 14.78 lbs.
butter in seven days.
FillpaU 16th, with her first calf, gave in a year 6,066 lbs. 8 os. of milk,
from which was made 808.07 lbs. of butter. Mrs. Spencer states that for
seven years she has not had a matured cow with a smaller record than
80^ lbs. milk per day, and the herd for three years averaged 4 per cent
butter-fat by the Babcock test. The cow Betsey of this herd made a pound
of cheese in the Columbian dairy test cheaper than any other cow of any
breed.
Mr. J. K. Innes. the enterprising proprietor of Olenside Farm, Granville
Center, Pa., owner of the famous Columbian test cow Kittle Clay 4th, sup-
plies the following :
Luvia Clay, a daughter of Kittle Clay 8d, gave from May 19, 1886, to
April 6, 1886, 7,878.8 lbs. milk, which made 887 lbs. butter. This was with
her first calf. The next season she gave in seven days 808 lbs. of milk,
which made 18.86 lbs. butter.
Mamie Clay, daughter of Kittle Clay 4th, gave from June 1 to June 80,
1888, 1,176 lbs. milk, that carried an average of 8.9 per cent butter-fat, after
having been in milk something over four months.
Nancy Lee gave during the month of June, 1888, l;i80 lbs. milk that
tested an average of 4 per cent butter-fat, having been in milk since Feb.
37,1886.'
Kittle Clover, a daughter of Kittle Clay 4th, gave during seven days In
1807, 966.7 lbs. milk, carrying an average of 4.1 per cent butter-fat This
was in her three-year-old form.
Margaretta (Hay, granddaughter of Kittle Clay 8d, gave in thirty days
746 lbs. milk that tested an average of 4.3 per cent This was with her first
calf, and she had been in milk more than ten months, calving about eight
weeks after the test was made.
Betsy 8th gave during the month of June, 1899, 1,429 lbs. milk, with an
aversge test of 8.7 per cent having been in milk since March 8U. May-
flower, a daughter of Roan Clay 4th. has given this year in fourteen days
•lOJ lbs. milk, with an average test of 4 per cent butter-fat Kittle Swset
836 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
prodnoed In fourteen days OM lbs. milk, testing SJ) per cent 1mtler-2M.
This in her two-year-old form with first calf.
Superintendent Hay of Olenside says : ** These tests were made with*
oat any special preparation, the cows receivinir the usual oare and feea
glTen the entire herd. We are now weiirhinff the product and testing every
cow in the herd for an entire year, so that we shall soon have some twelve
months* records to present.**
John Armstrong of Klngrsbury Co., S. D., reports that In 1806 his sizteea
grade Short-horn cows averaged 6,000 Iha. of milk, from which was made
an average of 801 lbs. 6 os. of butter. Counting stock sold and pork pro-
duced on skim-milk the net income per cow was 862.50. For 1888 the same
number of cows produced 101,477 lbs. milk, which yielded 6,077 lbs. of but-
ter, an average of 6,843 lbs. of milk and 817 lbs. 6 oz. of butter per cow. He
figures that these cows made him during the twelve months 876.47 net.
C M. Clark of Walworth Co., Wis., reports that daring the month Of
December, 1896, his thirteen Short-horn cows and eight two and three-year^
old heifers produced 14,318 lbs. of milk; making an average of 88H lbs. bat-
ter per head for the month, which, for a winter production, indicates prof-
itable dairy capacity. The best of the bull calves raised by such eows are
sold at good prices for breeding purposes. The poorer ones are steered,
and Mr. Clark reports that his last lot of bullocks averaged IJHO lbs. at
about twenty-four months old, and are worth six cents per pound. Mr.
Clark*s cattle descend mainly from the Bates tribes, although he has re-
cently been using a Scotch-topped Rose of Sharon bulL
Foiled Durhams. — The recent establishment
in the West of the type of cattle known as
"Polled Durhams" is a matter of interest to all
breeders of Short-horns. There are two varie-
ties of Polled Durhams — one of pure Short-horn
descent and the other tracing to the native
"rauley" cows of the country crossed origi-
nally with registered Short-horn bulls. . The
pure-bred Short-horns that have had the polled
characteristic suflBciently established to admit
them to the Polled Durham Herd Book are
classed as "double-standard" cattle, being eli-
gible to both the Short-horn and Polled Dur-
ham registries. A large proportion of these
A DUAL-PURPOSE BREED. 837
descend from the Gwynne cow Oakwood
Gwynne 4th, the Tgung Phyllis cow Mary Lou-
den and the White Rose hull Young Hamilton
114169. Oakwood Gwynne 4th had loose horns
or "scurs," and when bred to the 7th Duke of
Hillhurst 34221 dropped a pair of hornless roan
heifer calves, known as Nellie Gwynne and
Mollie Gwynne. (See Vol. XXXIII, page 728.)
Bred to Bright Eyes Duke 8th 31894 she
dropped the hornless red bull Bang of Kine
87412. The twin heifers were bred by C. McC.
Reeve and the hornless bull by W. W. McNair,
both of Minneapolis, Minn. Mr. W. S. Miller
of Ohio, who had been endeavoring to develop
a type of polled cattle showing Short-horn
characteristics^ bought these Gwynnes and
made use of them in his breeding operations.
The bull Young Hamilton above mentioned,
that won the championship over all bulls com-
peting in the "general-purpose" class at the
Columbian Exposition, possessed great scale
and bis blood has been freely used.
Some of the leading Polled Durham breeders
are now crossing their cows with well-bred
Scotch Short-horn bulls. As a rule stock of
this type possesses good size, and the cows
are often heavy milkers. They represent the
dual-purpose idea, and the absence of horns is
counted a distinct advantage. That the breed
owes its merit wholly to the Short-horn is
838 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN OATTLB.
freely admitted, and its saccess simply consti-
tutes another tribute to the eflBcacy of that
blood. The Polled Durham breeders have
maintained a National organization since 1889.
Under the presidency of Dr. William W. Crane,
Tippecanoe City, 0., this has developed into an
influential association. Its Secretary, Mr. J. H.
Miller, Peru, Ind., is one of the most enthusi-
astic supporters of Polled Durham claims, and
has made sales for export to South America.
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE LAMP OF EXPERIENCE.
We have now traced the growth of the breed
from an humble beginning in ancient North-
umbria to a place of imperial power in the
cattle trade of the civilized world. For nearly
a century it has existed as an improved and
well-established type. During that time it has
felt the impress of men of undoubted genius
and intellectual force. It has also endured the
blundering of those who had ability only as
destroyers of what others had created. Two
opposing forces are constantly at work. The
one constructive, the other subversive of all
progress; the one animated by a lofty ambition
to accomplish something for the uplifting of
the breed, the other moved only by sordid con-
sideration of present profit.
At the outset every man who enters the fra-
ternity that boasts so many illustrious names
should ponder well the real meaning of the
word breeder and endeavor to equip himself
thoroughly for the intelligent manipulation of
the plastic material with which he proposes to
work. Is he to make an honest effort to emu-
(889)
840 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
late the example of the master builders of the
breed, or is he to drift aimlessly upon the tide
of some passing fashion, content to be a mere
peddler of pedigrees? Is Short-horn breeding
a business worthy of the best efforts of intell-
gent men, or is it simply a traflBc in herd-book
certificates? Is there inspiration and a love
for original creative work to be found in the
great achievements of the past, or are there
only chains and shackles for those who engage
in the trade in this day and generation? The
closing century is not without its lessons bear-
ing upon these and kindred considerations, and
a few plainly stated deductions from the ex-
periences of those who have gone before may
be found helpful in examining the duties, re-
sponsibilities and privileges of those who have
the future of the Short-horn in their keeping.
What constitutes success Y — It might ap-
pear at first blush that the auction block is the
one crucial test of success, but this is true only
when averages for a long series of years are
considered. The operations of powerful vested
financial interests occasionally rule the mar-
ket without special reference^to intrinsic values.
Again many a splendid animal, many a grand
herd has failed to meet with adequate appre-
ciation because of lack of enterprise on the
part of the owner, or through the machinations
of those little souls who are either jealous of a
THE LAMP OF EXPERIENCE. 841
contemporary's success, or interested from sel-
fish motives in decrying the blood which his
neighbor has used. The Short-horn trade has
suffered incalculable damage from individuals
whose devotion to purely commercial consider-
ations was greater than their love for good
Shoi-t-homs. Frequently they knew little and
cared less about the individual merit of the
breed. A man possesses certain blood which
he insists is ''bluer" than that flowing in the
veins of other Short-horns, and even while
loudest in his claims of superiority it often hap-
pens that the unfortunate animals in such mer-
cenary hands are descending to the lowest lev-
els of mediocrity from sheer neglect of the first
principles of good breeding and management.
Some years ago a few misguided individuals
undertook to "run a corner '* on such repre-
sentatives as were then in existence of certain
so-called '' pure " tribes. They made a pretense
of insisting that these few animals were the
real "salt" of the Short-horn earth, and, as
such, valuable beyond compare. It mattered
not that the originator of those very families
had himself inbred his stock to the limit of
safety before he died, and that he would doubt-
less have been the first to protest against the
absurdity of the present procedure. Neverthe-
less, people interested themselves in the pro-
ject as a speculation. One Western operator
842 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
collected all of these **absolutelys" he could
secure; the result of the venture being that
within two years he was forced to destroy the
calves as fast as the wretched degenerates came
into the world, and the sires and dams, with con-
stitutions ruined beyond repair, soon followed
their progeny to the shambles. It is scarcely
necessary to say that such an undertaking con-
sidered as a proposition in scientific breeding
was fore-doomed to failure, and yet in the face
of this and other examples of the impossibility
of maintaining inbred strains indefinitely, with-
out admixture of other blood, men are still
found willing for the sake of possible financial
profit to repeat, in this respect, the follies of
the past. There are cases on record where ped-
igree speculators, who have closed out their in-
terests in time, have gained some financial ad-
vantage, but such men were not breeders within
the real meaning of the term.
He only has made a genuine success of Short-
horn breeding who maintains or improves upon
the character of the animals received from
other hands.
In-breeding. — This is a two-edged sword. In
the hands of men who were adepts in its appli-
cation it brought about some of the great-
est successes known in Short-horn history. By
concentration of the blood of favorite animals
the distinctive types that have so largely domi-
THB LAMP OF BXPERIENCE. 843
nated the trade have been created. On the
other hand, over-indulgence in the practice has
proved the destruction of more than one family
of great original merit. Dealing with raw ma-
terials, as it were, the pioneer breeders were
able to reap the highest possible measure of
benefit from an appeal to the Bakewell prac-
tice, but a century of breeding within herd-
book lines has brought the Short-horns of tlie
present in such close relationships that what
was wise procedure in the early days would
now be the height of folly. What was once
heterogeneous in its* composition has by the
operation of the pedigree registry system been
rendered homogeneous.
The fact that close breeding proved effective
many years ago in the hands of a few men of
rare capacity affords no justification whatever
for continued in-and-in breeding by their suc-
cessors. Efforts have been made to enforce, as
a test of loyalty to some of these great breeders
of other days, opposition to the idea of resort-
ing in any shape, form or manner to fresh
blood for the rejuvenation of cattle so de-
scended. It must be apparent to even the
dullest comprehension that this proposition is
not only illogical on its face, but is really the
most effective of all methods of destroying the
good work done by those who bequeathed stock
that had already been subjected to the severe
844 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
test of long-continued blood concentration.
The Bates cattle in particular suffered exten-
sively from the operations of those who re-
sisted the idea of fresh crosses. Messrs. War-
field, Renick, Alexander, the Bedfords and
others obtained results outside of the *' straight "
Bates line that surpassed the accomplishments
of such of their contemporaries as adhered
strictly to the "line." An unwillingness to
infuse other blood into the old Killerby and
Warlaby strains did not contribute to the
physical welfare of the cattle of Booth descent,
and at the Torr dispersion the outcrossed
strains were gladly bought at high prices to
revive the glories of the earlier days.*
Examining the record down to the present
day we find a tendency to repeat the errors of
former years in the case of the families created
by Amos Cruickshank. In view of the fact that
this careful breeder freely conceded the desira-
bility of an outcross on his cattle prior to the
sale of his herd, the contention of those who
are now insisting upon maintaining the '"pur-
ity " of the Sittyton families finds no adequate
basis in reason or experience. James I. David-
son, who was for a number of years Mr. Cruick-
shank's representative in America, demon-
*In this connection it may be said that the major part of the Booth herd
was Bold at auction a few years since by Mr. William Booth, exeoator of the
estate of his brother, the late T. C. Booth. The herd is s^ain beiny reylved
by Mr. Blohard Booth, son of T. C and Short-horns may still be seen In the
Une old iMtstures at Warlaby
THE LAMP OP EXPBRIENOB. 845
strated what could be done by the right kind
of an outcross when he introduced the blood of
Crown Prince of Athelstane 2d. Messrs. Potts
added to the vitality, as shown by increased
fertility, of one branch of the Sittyton Laven-
ders, by the use of a bull blending the blood of
imp. Duke of Richmond with a Young Mary
foundation. At Lin wood Col. Harris was mak-
ing substantial progress at the time he gave up
breeding by the use of the Golden Drop and
Princess Alice blood. Evidence is to be had
from the operations of Mr. James J. Hill, the
late Col. T. S. Moberley and others, going to
show that a judicious intermingling of the
blood of other good Short-horns with that of
the Scotch-bred stock will prove in the future
fruitful of better results than are promised by
a too rigid adherance to the prevailing fashion-
able line.
Touching this point the Hon. John Dryden,
one of the earliest and best friends of the Sit-
tyton cattle in America, says:
For those who are interested in Cniickshank cattle to go on
blindly following pedigree as the most prominent thing in connec-
tion with the breeding of these cattle means, in my judgmcDt,
certain ruin. We have seen this tried in several breeds of cattle
and horses before, and 1 know how much evil it has worked.
Whatever others may say, I know definitely that Mr. Cruick
shank^s own ideas were entirely contrary to that view. It would
have been of great advantage to those of us following in his foot-
steps to have had the crosses made by himself; they would then
have been accepted without question as the result of sound judg-
ment.
846 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
My opinion is that Mr. CrulckBhank was right when he de-
cided that Yiolent crosses on his cattle should be avoided. What
I mean by that is to take an exactly opposite type or style of pedi-
Kree, the result of which is not ordinarily nniform mixing. B(r.
Craickshank*s theory was that to keep np the robustness of his
cattle aud to give them additional strength of character an occa-
sional cow of somewhat different breeding should be used upon
which to cross one of his own bulls with the view of securing a
bull of somewhat different blood. If such outcross is to be re-
sorted to it should not be one of mere pedigree, but the animal
chosen should be sound and of robust constitution and having sim-
ilar characteristics to the Cruickshank cattle as developed by
their former proprietor. Further, it should be borne in mind that
Mr. Cruickshank*s i4ea was not to produce fine-looking animals
when they were matured at from four to six years of age, but to
produce such animals as would mature if necessary at from one to
two and a half years. I notice that a good many show animals
which are talked about a great deal belong to the former class,
and while they are fine animals when at their maturity, they do
not at all possess the characteristics that Mr. Cruickshank sought
in his herd.
We have at the present day altogether too many imitators
among breeders of cattle. It seems to be the proper thing to pur-
sue the principle that is followed in a millinery shop, and every-
body tries to follow in the same line. They do not all succeed,
but because this color or that or this form or the other is fashion-
able nothing else will do on any account. Now it is a very easy
thing to follow fashion in pedigree, but a confessedly difficult
thing to do what all the great cattle-breeders of the past have
done, and produce not merely a pedigree but animals having
special characteristics and the power to give these to their de-
scendants.
Mr. Cruickshank never followed fashion either in pedigree or
upon any other point, but had his own sound common sense to
guide him. He knew what he wanted and he knew it when he
saw it, the result being that when he found among his own oalTes
the bull Champion of England he said to himself, without con-
sulting anyone else, *' That is what I am seeking for, and I shall
at once be bold enough to use him." We all know the result. If
his brother, who was always inclined to follow fashion, had been
rcnsulted Champion of England would never have been used,
and Mr. E. Cruickshank has often told me that if Amos had fol-
lowed his own judgment on previous occasions he would have
THE LAMP OF EXPERIENCE: 847
nsed one or two bulls at an earlier date which would likely have
aooomplished eqaallygood results. The same thing may be said
of Bates and Booth. They foUowed their own Judgment until we
find that all the world decided subsequently that their judgment
was right and they became leaders of fashion.
Those who notice the cattle sales of Great Britain will* have
bbseryed that most breeders there have Judgments of their o?m.
I haye often referred to this point in this tountry before and
have suggested that it would be a great blessing for our country
generally if our breeders had more definite oonyictions of their
own, with definite ideas of what they wanted to accomplish, and
worked along that line.
My opinion therefore is that if our Cruickshank breeders un-
dertake to follow pedigree merely and stick to the color erase of
red* the cattle are doomed ; it is only a matter of time, and I con-
gratulate you upon the stand you have taken in this matter-
These little points as to the shape of the horn and the exact color
of the skin are really of no consequence when It comes to the use-
ful qualities of the animaL We all like to see these things and
th^ give added value to an animal, but a good animal should not
be thrown away simply because on? horn turns a little too much
back, or otherwise.
As to the present situation in England in
reference to the Scotch cross, the following let-
ter to the author from one of Britain's oldest
and most conservative students of Short-horn
breeding, Mr. William Housman of Prospect
House, Distington, Cumberland, sounds a note
that is worth heeding :
Our breeders, as you must have observed, are very much at
variance in opinion upon the Scotch cross question. I think
myself the term '' Cruickshank blood," as commonly used, is too
narrow and too shallow, neither stretching far enough to comprise
the useful Scotch strains from outside Sittyton sources nor going
deep enough to include old Scotch blood derived from herds long
extinct, yet stUl in various measures influential. Yet Cruick-
shank is justly regarded as a great name in Short-horn history.
For aU that I do not care for the heavings of the crowd to and
fro. ** Booms,'* you in America call the din raised one day about
848 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
this blood, another day about that. There is a bad want of
sobriety and stability of judgment in it all, to my poor way of
thinking. Liooking at the matter in that aspect I have not a
strong desire to go much or often into the question of the merits
of this or the other cross the fashion of the day. However good
Booth, Bates, Cruickshank or any other ** blood " may be, there
are plenty of persons out of breath in their haste to make a mess
of their breeding through the indiscriminate use of it, and so to
discredit what one mighvf airly say in its favor.
A little steadiness is the best I have at the moment to soggest
as to the course for the future ; but it must be coupled with reoog^
nition of merit, which I believe to be plentiful, outside the cover
of the very biggest names.
You will see that at our shows the Scotch and Scotch-cross Short-
horns are well to the front. This is a hard fact to answer. Still
it affords no good reason for crossing everything with Scotch
bulls, flooding the herds with that which may be eminently suit-
able in one case and as thoroughly unsuitable in another.
William Duthie of Colly nie, clearly recognizes
the desirability of finding a suitable outcross
for the Sittyton tribes, and has recently pur-
chased in England several very grand cows of
mixed breeding, which he proposes to mate
with Cruickshank-bred sires with a view toward
introducing in a diluted form a dash of fresh
blood in the hope that something may be
gained in the way of size and style. Among
these cows we may mention Cowslip 26th, bred
by Lord Brougham and Vaux, a magnificent
cow of wonderful scale, symmetry and finish,
winner of many prizes in England ; Primrose
4th, bred by Mr. Scott of Softlaw, Kelso, winner
of first prize at Edinburgh, and of same breed-
ing as the great show cow Softlaw Rose; and
Lady Meredith, carrying the blood of the great
«Kf^ •fk^ ^*_
- ' .^- -
^^
■'^
i
BAPTON PEARL.
Brtd bv J' Dfane ITWU. .
CICELY.
Sh(nvn by U(T Maietty the Quffti.
Pbizk-Wiknimg Heifers at the English Royal of 1899.
THE LAMP OF BXPEBIBNGE. 849
bull Bosario on top of a daughter of the world's
highest-priced bull, Duke of Connaught. The
latter has the character and "grand air'' of the
Duchesses, accompanied by ample scale and
flesh. These cows are large and stylish with
good heads, necks and backs. Moreover they
are heavy milkers, and as they have been mated
with such bulls as Scottish Archer and Lord of
Fame the result of the cross is awaited with
much interest.*
It is a peculiar fact that while inbreeding
brought several of the greatest herds in Short-
horn history to their highest perfection it
proved diflBcult to hold them at the level at-
tained by the first appeal to that magic influ-
*Mr. Dathle waa led to undertake thla experiment largely hj the aiH
pearanee of the beautiful roan heifer Sea Oem (bred by Mr. Duneombe),
ehamplon female of the Royal of IWt at Manchester; that waa aired by
Liberator (64200) (bred at CoUynle and sold in dam to Mr. Willis) ont of Sea
Peavl, tracing in the maternal line to Fenella by Mr. Bates' Id Duke of
Northumberland (SM7). Sea <^m was sold at auction at above 400 guineas.
Further evidence of the Intent of Mr. Cruickshank*8 broad-minded suc-
cessor to leave nothing undone looking toward the perpetuation of the
merit of the Sittyton tribes is to be found in the fact that he has also tried
recently the handsome young bull Captain Inglewood, a son of the Sittyton-
bred Captain of the Guard, out of one of the famous Inglewood cows bred
by the late Robert Thompson of Penrith, whose successes at the Bngliah
Royal a number of years ago were among the greatest triumphs of the lat-
ter>day history of the breed in Britain.
Among the stock bulls used in recent years at Gollynle, in addition to
those already mentioned, have been the following: Pride of Morning
(84646), a champion show bull, got by Star of Morning (66180), belonging to
the Sittyton Clipper tribe; Count Arthur (70194), a white bull, bred by Deane
Willis from Count Lavender (60646) out of Victoria 66th by Gondolier; Non-
pareil Victor (TlOTl), also bred by Mr. Willis, sired by the champion buU
Count Victor (68B77)— that was sold to South America at 600 guineas— out of
Nonpareil Bloom by Commodore (64118), and Spicy Monarch, bred at Upper-
mill from Spicy Robin (OMBH). out of Alexandrina SOth (own sister to
Messrs. Bobbins* Gay Monarch) by William of Orange.
850 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN OATTLK.
ence. Fortunately for the breed the loss of
merit in such cases has not been rapid. In the
hands of skillful men the inbred tribes con-
tinued to produce animals of extraordinary
value at frequent intervals. It is true, never-
theless, that the zenith of Bates, Booth, Renick
and Cruickshank success was attained in each
case before the men who created the types
bearing those names laid down their work.
Their followers to this day are simply strug-
gling with the problem of how to sustain or re-
store an inbred type after it has once been in
full flower. All experience indicates that this
is a most perplexing problem. Happily, how-
ever, the great groups of families named re-
mained an honor to their creators for so many
years that they contributed largely to the gen-
eral welfare. Strongly-bred sires are usually
impressive; but when they impress inferiority
rather than actual merit, their prepotency be-
comes the strongest of all arguments against
their continued use.
Incestuous breeding should never be at-
tempted by a novice, and any concentration of
blood is of doubtful eflBcacy unless pronounced
vigor and constitution are possessed by the ani-
mals to be subjected to it.
As commonly understood by cattle-breeders,
in-and-in breeding is the term applied to the
mating of sires of certain tribes with females
THE LAMP OF EXPERIBNOB* 851
of the same tribes. The use of a continued
succession of sires of one tribe, or group of kin-
dred tribes, upon females of other maternal
origin is usually described as '^line breeding."
This latter method of procedure gives rise to
stock characterized as Bates-topped, Booth-
topped, Cruickshank-topped, etc. Only such
cattle as descend in the maternal line from
cows bred at Kirklevington, Killerby, Warlaby
or Sittyton are referred to as belonging respec-
tively to the Bates, Booth or Cruickshank tribes.
Cattle that trace to such cows through sires
carrying no admixture of blood from other
herds are described as "pure" Bates, "pure"
Booth or "pure" Cruickshank, as the case may
be, but few to which such appellation correctly
applies are now living.
Herd*book registration. — In America regis-
tration is limited to animals descended all
around from stock already of record. This ren-
ders it impossible to originate new families on
this side of the Atlantic no matter how long
the use of registered sires may be pursued. In
Great Britain the editing committee of Coates'
Herd Book has authority to admit animals hav-
ing in the case of bulls five crosses of registered
sires, and in the case of cows four crosses of
same. Care is of course taken before admit-
ting stock under this latter rule to see that the
foundation cows were of good general Short-
852 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
horn type. On account of the existence of this
English rule the American association requires
that English-bred cattle to be eligible for reg-
istry must trace in all their crosses to animals
recorded, or eligible to record, in the first
twenty volumes of Coates' Herd Book. The
twentieth volume of that record was issued in
1873.
While it is the well-settled policy of the
American management to oppose any re-
laxation of the herd-book rules, the fact re*
mains that some of the most valuable Short-
horns of the day in Great Britain are to be
found among those that have been bred into
Coates' Herd Book since 1873 under the four
and five-cross rule. This is particularly true
of that large and valuable contingent in Ihe
English herds possessing rare merit for dairy
purposes. It is conceded that there are grave
objections to opening the door in America to
the creation of new families, and yet it is
possible that the time will come when long-
continued confinement within the limits of
stock descended from ancestors already of
record in the American Herd Book, and in the
first twenty volumes of the English may ren-
der it increasingly difficult to carry on the
work of improving the breed; especially when
choice of sires is still further narrowed by
the dictates of fashion in blood lines and color.
THE LAMP OF BXPEBIBNeE. 853
The elder Booth always maintained that three
or fonr crosses of the Killerby bulls on top of
good market cows of the Teeswater type gave
him animals which were, to all intents and pur-
poses, purely-bred Short-horns, that could be
relied upon to reproduce their own excellen-
cies. The breed has certainly held its own in
its native land with remarkable success and
persistency under a plan which admits of the
gradual infusion of the blood of new families.
It would seem, therefore, that the system under
which Coates' Herd Book is conducted has been
proved a success on the other side of the water.
The time may not yet be ripe for the intro-
duction of a similar method of registration in
this country, but food for reflection is certainly
found in the fact that a large percentage of
our best cattle are seen among the compara-
tively short-pedigreed tribes, and conversely
there is oftentimes a noticeable absence of
merit in animals representing jfamilies boast-
ing an unbroken line of herd book descent
extending back of the year 1800. All must
admit the desirability of a uniform standard
on both sides the Atlantic, and it is to be hoped
that some way of bringing the American and
English rules to a common basis may be found
in the near future.
Color.— Dame Fashion has much to answer
for in connection with Short-horn breediner in
854 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN OATTLB.
America. Not only has the fickle jade de-
manded the degradation of whole fetmilies of
good, well-bred cattle on insufficient charges
affecting their pedigrees, but in the Western
States went so far as to dictate that red bulls
only should be used as sires. This latter prop-
osition really had its origin on the Western
range. Solid-colpred bulls were preferred by
the ranchmen, and those who were breeding
for that trade naturally catered to the wants
of their customers. This, in turn, affected the
choice of sires in herds that supplied stock
bulls to those who had a general farm and
range clientage. In vain did leading breeders
point out that this was a grave mistake, nar-
rowing still further a field of selection which
had already been curtailed by the operation of
fashion's laws in the matter of pedigree. In
vain was it pointed out that in Great Britain, the
home of the breed, the roan was the prevailing
popular color and that even white bulls were oc-
casionally used in the most famous herds. The
buyers of bulls for steer-getting purposes were
inexorable. A solid red, and worst of all (in
many cases) very dark red bulls, of the most
ordinary character, were freely bought in pref-
erence to thicker, better, mellower roans, yel-
low-reds or reds with white markings. So gen-
eral was this demand at one time that it seemed
fairly suicidal for the owners of pedigreed herds
THB LAMP OF EXPBRIBNOB. 855
to use anjr other than red bulls. The pursuit
of this policy led to the sacrifice of many useful
cattle. There were not enough good reds of the
fashionable tribes to go around, so that the in-
evitable result was the use of many an indiffer-
ent sire for no better reason than the posses-
sion of a coat of hair and a pedigree certificate
that tickled the popular fancy — ^the prime es-
sentials of constitution and thrift often being
ignored in the mad race to obey the behests of
the fashion of the hour.
The more substantial element, however, op-
posed unceasingly this debasement of the breed
and stood out manfully for more rational meth-
ods, and in the course of time the red color
craze began to abate. Good roans can again be
disposed of at satisfactory prices. The general
preference is still for red bulls, but sensible
men do not carry their opposition to the lighter
colors to the extreme noted some years ago.
Indeed, both in the matter of color and fash-
ionable breeding there is a marked change in
the direction of reason and common sense to
be noted at this time; and in this fact there is
hope for the future.
Handling quality.— It is generally conceded
that feeding capacity is to a considerable ex-
tent indicated by the hide and hair. A soft
silky coat, assuming in winter a thick, furry
character, is always to be preferred to hair that
856 A HISTORY OF 8H0BT-H0BN OATTLB.
is thin, coarse, wiry or harsh. The skin shoald
be of good thickness, not thin or "papery," as
that iudicates delicacy of constitution. It
should be pliable to the touch, covering a mel-
low cushion of evenly-distributed flesh. Hard-
handling cattle of inferior fleshing capacity are
found more frequently among the dark-red
Short-horns than among those of other colors.
The roans and such reds as have yellow skins
are usually animals of better quality.
Constitution, character and conformation.—
Vigor must ever be a paramount consideration.
Without sound constitution there is no hope of
thrift or fertility. A pre-disposition to disease
is a fault fatal to all success or profit. Exces-
sive inbreeding and "pampering" for show are
among the prime causes of physical deteriora-
tion; leading to impaired vitality and fatty de-
generation.
The bull should be of positive masculine
type, with a strong head and horn. At matur-
ity he should be possessed of what is commonly
called "character"; a term which may be briefly
defined as meaning "individuality." Weak
heads and countenances, of the negative sort
usually seen in steers, do not indicate in the
bull prepotency or the power to impress his
own likeness with uniformity upon his prog-
eny. The neck should be thick and not too
long. The shoulders may be wide and well de-
THE LAMP OF BXPERIBNCB. 857
veloped, but should not be too upright; neither
should they be too open at the "crops'' — ^the
junction of the blades at the top. The '* chine"
— which includes the "crops" and the joining
of the fore-ribs — ^should be broad, round and
full. The back and loin should be wide and
well-furnished with flesh. The ribs ought to
be round and deep. A contracted heart-girth
is decidedly objectionable. The hips of the
bull ought not to be so conspicuous as in the
cow. As strong shoulder development is to be
expected in the male, so in the female the hips
("hooks") will naturally find greater promi-
nence in order to provide the pelvic capacity
required by the demands of the functions of
maternity. The quarters should be long and
level; the "twist" — space between the thighs
— well filled, and the flanks and thighs carried
low.*
The Short-horns of the olden time were dis-
tinguished for their " table " backs and great
scale,, but were often rather high from the
ground. The market demand for " baby beef"
has induced latter-day breeders to seek a
shorter-legged, more compactly fashioned,
blockier type, such as feed to heavy weights
at an early age ; but it is to be hoped that in
•This description of course applies rather to the beef form than to the
dairy type. Where deep-milking capacity is desired the full ** twist** and
flanks will scarcely be present The space which in the beef cow is here
oocnpied by flesh will in that case be reQuired for ndder development
858 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
pursuing this object scale will not be unduly
neglected.
The cow should be as distinctly feminine
about the head and neck as the bull is the
reverse. She should have what is often called
a "breedy" look, as distinguished from a
"steery" countenance. Refinement rather
than coarseness almost invariably character-
izes the head of a successful breeding cow.
This is what the Scotch herdsmen have in
mind when they speak of " a lady coo." Width
between the eyes is indicative of good feeding
quality in both sexes. Long, narrow heads are
objectionable. The incurving or dished face
may be permissible in the female, but it is
never suggestive of virility, and is not to be
sought in the bull. Roman noses are seldom
seen and are not in favor, although they are
almost invariably accompanied by unusual
vigor of constitution. The bull's face should
be of good width from the eyes to the nostrils.
A fine muzzle is a sign of delicacy. Short-horn
noses are usually light and clear in color,
although occasionally black or clouded. The
latter, although not evidence of impure breed-
ing, are avoided as much as possible by careful
breeders. ^Such a minor point, however, as a
clouded nose will not deter a man of good
judgment from using an animal that is ex-
ceptionally desirable in vital particulars.
HEIFEK.CALF SHOWN BY W. T. MILLER & SOKS, OP INDIANA..
1^
HEIFER BRED BY N. P. CLARKE AT MEADOW LaWN.
BREED TYPES AS SHOWN BY PHOTCX5RAPHY.
THB LAMP OF EXPBRIENCB. 859
A generous middle signifies a good "doer."
Excessive paunchiness is a fault to be avoided,
but the highest results, either in the feed-lot or
in the dairy, are only possible where ample di-
gestive power is in evidence.
Primary points in management. — The
nearer Short-horns can be maintained under
natural conditions the better. Plenty of good
grass for the working members of the herd and
an abundant supply of milk for the calves are
prime requisites. Pastures should never be
"overworked" or grazed too closely in midsum-
mer. No one should undertake to keep more
cattle than can be carried with justice to the
available pasture lands. The blue grass, which
is the mainstay of the cattle business in the
United States, makes little if any growth
through the hot summer months. It will often
be found wise practice to provide a supply of
succulent food for the herd during this period.
Fodder corn sown for this purpose will be
found a profitable crop in this connection.
During the winter reasonable shelter should
always be provided. Cattle can stand a low
degree of temperature when the weather is
clear and bright; but cold, wet storms subject
their constitutions to a test which careful
breeders will endeavor to avoid. Throughout
the Western States it is common practice to
stable the herds at nights during the coldest
860 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
weather, but it is almost unanimously agreed
that "housing" during the day is positively in-
jurious, except in the case of young calves or
animals very thin in flesh. Exercise and fresh
air are absolutely necessary for the health of
breeding stock. Close confinement in poorly-
ventilated stables is even worse than exposure
to the elements. Some breeders permit their
stock bulls to run with the herd, but this is not
the usual practice. The better plan is to pro-
vide a good box for the bull, opening into as
large a paddock as can be spared for this pur-
pose. A grassy lot, several acres in areia, with
shade and water trough, ought to be arranged
for the bull's comfort in connection with his
stall.
Over considerable areas in the Central West
cattle can find the bulk of their feed in blue-
grass pastures up to Jan. 1, but the young
stock will require more or less grain in order
to insure their proper development. Short-
horn heifers that have been carried to matur-
ity upon a judicious ration will not require
much grain to maintain their condition as
cows, except perhaps in the case of those milk-
ing heavily. The young bulls after weaning
must be kept by themselves and receive spe-
cial care. It is more difficult to condition
a young bull than a heifer, and a lib-
eral ration of grain is required for the first
LAMP OF EXPERIENCE. 861
twelve months after he has been deprived of
his mother's milk. In the conditioning of
thin cows and young stock too much com
should not be used. Ground oats, bran, a little
oil-cake, roots, shredded fodder, good grass,
hay, or even clean, bright straw may all be re-
sorted to with profit, and a mixture of these
feeds is always preferable to an exclusive use
of any one of them. Feeding, however, is ah
art that cannot be taught from books. A ra-
tion that will suit one case will fail in another.
Not only the kinds but the amounts to be
given can only be satisfactorily determined by
a careful study of the individual peculiarities
of different animals.
To succeed in Short-horn breeding it is im-
portant that one have a genuine love for the
work. Both the owner and the herdsman
should find a keen delight in the company of
their cattle, and if on terms of intimacy with
favorite animals so much the better. Kind
treatment should at all times be enforced.
Young bulls are frequently rendered vicious
by injudicious punishment. All bulls over
twelve months old should have rings inserted
in their noses, so that they may be managed
with safety. An unruly bull should never be
used or tolerated unless of such outstanding
excellence that his services seem fairly indis-
pensable, and if proved positively dangerous
862 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
should go the shambles at any cost. Human
life is more sacred than the welfare of any
herd.
Well-trained, reliable herdsmen are almost
beyond price when the owner cannot give the
cattle his own personal attention, and even in
that case the services of a competent helper
will be required. Experienced herdsmen are
perhaps more numerous in Great Britain than
in the United States, and many of Scotch and
English birth have been prominently identified
with the business in America. Unfortunately
Culshaws and Cuddys are rare even in the old
country. Men who consecrate their lives to
a mastery of the thousand details of successful
cattle management, men who anticipate every
want of the animals in their care, men who
know that unremitting attention means "good
luck," and neglect brings the reverse, are en-
titled to the highest consideration and encour-
agement of all who have the interests of live-
stock improvement at heart. Short-horn his-
tory abounds in instances of rare devotion,
singleness of purpose and conscientious dis-
charge of duty on the part of those who have
been responsible for the welfare of different
herds. On the other hand there is a consider-
able element in the fraternity of herdsmen
that does not seem to realize the dignity of
this form of service. It is not only an honor-
THE LAMP OF EXPERIENCE. 863
able but a useful profession, in which fidelity
and skill will usually bring their own reward.
Does showing pay t — There is a wide differ-
ence of opinion among cattle-breeders on this
question, but it resolves itself finally into the
simple proposition of advertising. The light
that is hid under the half-bushel is never seen
from a distance. One is never certain that his
efforts at producing good cattle will be appre-
ciated in his own immediate neighborhood. A
market for surplus stock is a necessity, and
those who would seek the best class of trade
must reach out for it. It will certainly not
come to them unsolicited. Judicious advertis-
ing lies at the very foundation of all business
success, and he who ignores this fact will have
no one to blame but himself if he fails to
find a satisfactory market for his wares. No
amount of advertising will bring success unless
there is merit in what is offered for sale.
Given, therefore, a herd of cattle of really de-
sirable character and quality, some form of ad-
vertising must be resorted to if the owner pro-
poses to do justice to his own investment.
The show-yard and the public press are the
two main mediums of communication with the
public. Some have accomplished their object
by the use of one of these methods and some
by the other. Public attention may be ac-
quired more promptly by an appeal to both,
864 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
and this is the plan pursued by the more enter-
prising element. There is no denying the fact
that many a grand Short-horn has been ruined
for breeding purposes by long-continued train-
ing for show. Under the system of judging
that has been prevalent on both sides of the
water for half a century it has been idle to
exhibit cattle that were not heavily fed. Cat-
tle of delicate constitution quickly succumb to
this pressure and even the most rugged types
gradually give way under it. Injury from ex-
cessive feeding is greatest in the case of ma-
tured animals, and on this account the mana-
gers of our modern shows have modified their
requirements in the case of herds in such way
as to render it unnecessary to fit so many aged
cows as were formerly necessary. What is
known as the graded or "step-ladder" herd
simply calls for a bull two years old or over,
one cow three years old or over, one two-year-
old heifer, one yearling heifer and one heifer
calf. This is a change of distinct advantage to
the breeder.
So long as there are honors and fame to be
gained by these public contests there will be
found men to fit and show their stock. Men
will "seek the bubble reputation even at the
cannon's mouth," Cattle-breeders will not be
deterred from engaging in the great show-yard
battles by the mere possibility of injury or loss
3»
M
H
2
o -^
8^
^ 3
'^
THE LAMP OF EXPERIENCE. 865
to a certain proportion of the animals fitted.
As a general proposition feeding for show is
not only an expensive undertaking so far as
the immediate outlay is concerned, but is
clearly detrimental to the best interests of the
animals pressed into such service. At the same
time it seems essential, as a broad proposition,
that advantage be taken of the shows to dem-
onstrate continuously the feeding capabilities
of the breed; but this should ordinarily be left
to those who have the means and facilities for
carrying on the work fairly regardless of imme-
diate profit. We can only say in a general way
to those who contemplate showing that we ad-
vise the feeding and exhibition of young animals
of one's own breeding. It takes considerable
capital to engage successfully in the general
herd competitions, but any good breeder may
find it to his advantage to exhibit from time to
time calves or yearlings illustrating his own
work. Young animals thus fitted are not nec-
essarily injured for the future. Young bulls
have to be well "done" in any event until
they approach maturity, and as for the heifers
if they are settled to a service at from twenty
to twenty-four months of age and returned to
pasture after being shown, there is no reason
why they should fail to become thereafter reg-
ular breeders in the herd. Until show-yard
judges are content with less fat it is certainly
866 A HISTORY OP SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
the part of wisdom for the average breeder to
limit his showing to young cattle. This latter
practice we believe to be a very effective means
of bringing one's stock before the attention of
buyers.
Selling the «urplus.— The matter of dis-
posing of surplus stock, touched upon in the
preceding paragraphs, is one of vital interest.
The manner of procedure will vary according
to the character of different herds. Those who
have purchased high-priced foundation stock,
representing the most fashionable bloods and
show-yard strains, will naturally make a bid
for the business of the leading professional
breeders. Those who contemplate breeding
from what are called " top" cattle will find the
show-yard, the live-stock press and the art
pictorial all necessaiy factors in success In
other words, those who expect to supply high-
class bulls to head the best contemporary herds
must do whatever is necessary to demonstrate
their right to such desirable patronage. On
the other hand, those who establish themselves
with a view toward supplying young bulls to
farmers and ranchmen — who, as a rule, cannot
be expected to pay large prices — will not need
to incur so much expense in the matter of ad-
vertising. In considering the question of the
class of trade to be cultivated, breeders should
not overlook the fact that it costs but little
I
THE LAMP OF EXPERIENCE. 867
more to grow a Short-horn worth from $300 to
J500 than it does to mature one worth $100.
We are speaking, of course, of the mere ex-
pense of feeding and handling. As a general
proposition, therefore, quality rather than
quantity should be the aim.
The public sale system as a means of dispos-
ing of surplus stock has been popular among
stock-breeders from the earliest periods. In-
deed, it has many advantages both for the
buyer and seller. It enables a breeder in one
day to make a complete clearance of his sur-
plus for the entire year, relieving him of the
burden of much correspondence necessarily en-
tailed by a system of private sales. It is an
advantage to the buyer because he is given the
choice of a large number of animals of different
ages and sexes at a price representing the judg-
ment of his fellow breeders present. A fairly-
conducted auction is on this latter account a safe
place for a new beginner to make investments.
He has the satisfaction of knowing that he is
making his purchases at prices which are vir-
tually fixed by the breeders in attendance. As
a rule these auction sales of Short-horns are
conducted in absolute good faith. By-bidding,
the protection of the price of animals through
manipulation by the seller, has been effect-
ually discountenanced by the adoption of a
high standard of business morality and prin-
868 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLK.
ciple in connection with the management of
most of these sales. Anything savoring of
fraud in any shape, form or manner receives
such speedy condemnation that there is no en-
couragement for dishonesty.
About animal portraiture. — The illustra-
tions in this volume will afford a fair idea of
the progress that has been made in this line
since the days of *'The White Heifer That Trav-
eled." The reproductions used in this work
are mainly from drawings made by various ar-
tists of reputation on both sides the Atlantic.
Near the end may be seen some of the latest
work of the camera. It will be observed that
in the old-style pictures there is marked exag-
geration in the matter of over-refinement of
the extremeties, at the same time the pictures
give, in a general way, a correct idea as to the
main points of difference in the make-up of
animals representing the leading breed types.
Animal photography as applied specially to the
beef breeds of cattle may be said to be still in
its infancy, but substantial progress in that art
is being made. From this fact we are led to
indulge the hope that we may hand down to
future generations likenesses of present-day
cattle which shall be more lifelike than our
delineations of the old-time celebrities.
Tribal designation. — This is a problem that
puzzles many new beginners in Short-horn
FAIR QUEEN, CHAMPION Female at tbe American Shows or 1904.
THB LAMP OF EXPBRIENCE. 869
breeding. All who engage in the business are
anxious to acquire as quickly as possible a
knowledge which will enable them to deter-
mine the line of descent represented by any
given pedigree without having to undertake an
extended herd-book examination. In regard
to this we can only ^ay there is no "short cut"
to this form of knowledge. The ability to
"read" at a glance any given pedigree only
comes as a result of years of herd-book re-
search.
The division of Short-horns into families or
tribes is purely arbitrary, and while the exist-
ing system of tribal nomenclature is perhaps
as convenient as any that could be devised,
yet, as has been pointed out on page 101 of this
volume, it is entirely misleading so far as con-
veying any adequate idea of the real blood
elements is concerned. The family names are
all derived from some one or more of the
ancestresses in the direct maternal line. Aside
from cattle belonging to the Bates, Booth and
Cruickshank tribes, our American families of
Short-horns usually bear the name of the
imported cow to which they trace on the
side of the dam. Those who study the his-
tory of Killerby, Warlaby, Kirklevington and
Sittyton will soon be able to recognize pedi-
grees running direct to those celebrated herds.
There are some cattle in the American Herd
870 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE.
Book, descended from cows recorded by Mr.
Allen in the early days, that do not trace
in the maternal line to any known imported
cow. Notwithstanding the fact that these
animals now present pedigrees showing a suc-
cession of registered sires entitling them to
rank as well-bred Short-horns, the partisans of
the more fashionable sorts speak of them as
tracing to the " American woods/'
There is only one way of ascei*taining defi-
nitely the blood actually present in any given
pedigree and that is by a complete tabulation
of it. Too much attention is paid by breeders
generally to these tribal distinctions. The
blood of the original animals that gave their
names to these various families was long ago
buried deep under subsequent crosses, and
while it is of course well to have a pedigree
soundly anchored at the base the " top " breed-
ing is of vastly greater relative importance.
Dignity of the breeder's calling. — The
sculptor lures from the solid marble images of
grace, beauty or strength that provoke the
plaudits of the world. His contact with his
work is direct. In calling from stone the crea-
tures of his own conception the figures may be
shaped at will. A Phidias or a Canova lifts the
veil from his superb handiwork and gains a
place in the gallery of immortals. Compared
with him who has the power to conceive an
THE LAMP OF EXPERIENCE. 871
ideal animal form and call it into life through
a profound knowledge of Nature's intricate and
hidden laws, the greatest sculptor is a mere
mechanic. There is no higher form of art than
that which deals with the intelligent manipula-
tion of animal life; the modeling of living,
breathing creatures in accordance with the will
and purpose of a guiding mind. It rises in its
boundless possibilities to heights that are fairly
God-like. It sounds the depths of the pro-
foundest mysteries of physical existence, verg-
ing on the borders of the Infinite itself. The
world of human endeavor presents no nobler
field of action, no realm of thought demanding
a higher order of ability. And yet how many of
those who assume the responsibility of marring
or making these wondrous creations of flesh
and blood approach the work with any
adequate preparation or appreciation of the
real breadth and depth of the propositions with
which they will have to deal? It is not a task
to be lightly undertaken, if one means to deal
fairly by the helpless forms confided to his
care. If we could but impress this thought in-
dellibly upon the minds of those who engage in
this most fascinating pursuit there would be
more noble creations and fewer wrecks along
the paths of the stock breeding of the future
than in the past. Failure to grasp the funda-
mental idea that the breeder's calling eutails
872 A HISTORY OF SHOBT-HOBN CATTLE.
duties and responsibilities which no man can
conscientiously ignore lies at the bottom of
failures innumerable.
The future. — The dawn of the new century
presents a most attractive field for those who
undertake to conscientiously promote the best
interests of the Short-horn breed. We have
seen that at regular intervals men possessing
original creative power have made a world-
wide name and fame for themselves in this line
of work; but with all due respect to what these
great minds have accomplished, it is folly to
say that all knowledge and skill in connection
with Short-horn breeding perished with them.
What has been done in the past can be repeated
in the future, but the triumphs of the twentieth
century await not those who are servile imita-
tors, but the worthy ones who have the neces-
sary courage to undertake the development
along independent lines of the tribes of Short-
horns which shall engage the attention of the
historians of the days to come.
APPENDIX.
"THE STUDY OF SHORTHORN HISTORY.'
▲N ADDRESS BY ALVIN II. 8ANDEK8 BEFORE THE CElTTBAIi
SHORT-HORN BREEDERS* ASSOCIATION, AT KANSAS
CITY, JAN. 30, 1901.
It is always interesting to trace the beginnings of any
great power. They are digging to-day in the ruins of the
Roman Forum for relics that may throw additional light
upon the origin of the ancient city "that from her throne
of beauty ruled the world." Some months ago I spent a
day watching these workmen at their toil. I saw a broken
piece of marble loosened by a pick— a mere fragment, of
no value' in itself, but which I observed was carved upon
one side with all the accuracy and delicacy for which the
stone-cutters and sculptors of 2,000 years ago were famous.
My guide obtained this for me and I have it in my rooms
to-day, a souvenir with which I would not willingly part
I often take it up and study it Why? There are thousands
of fragments of greater size and of more practical value
to be had about any quarry in the land. Why, then, does
so much interest attach to that particular piece of stone?
Simply because the level from which it was exhumed ren-
ders it certain that it once formed a part of a capital or
cornice that ornamented some arch or temple that had
looked down upon the pomp and pageantry of the Pagan
Emperors. It had gone down centuries later in the sack-
ing and burning of Rome by Northern barbarians. His-
tory, in short, had set its seal upon that bit of marble,
(878)
874 APPENDIX.
giving it, to me at least, a value and an interest all its
own. So much for the effect that associations have in
this world in fixing our ideas of values.
We all prize family heirlooms handed down from genera-
tions that have gone before. An old clock, or chest; a
piece of plate, a picture that speaks to us of other days,
we will not exchange, if we are wise, for any new design
a tradesman might submit. You may call this sentiment
if you like, but it exists nevertheless to a greater or less
degsee in every human breast, and to my mind adds an
element of pleasure to this work-a-day world that we ought
never to ignore.
An article with a history is a source of unfailing pleasure
and interest provided you know the history. The Short-
horn breed of cattle is such a product. Round about its
record there is entwined a story which, once known, throws
an indefinable charm about each and every herd; a story
which, beginning several centuries ago in the little valley
of the river Tees, ends only in your own pastures, by
your own fireside; a story bristling with great personal
triumphs; replete with stirring scenes; abounding in bene-
fits conferred upon the farming world; a story of great
deeds performed in the arts of peace; a story which Invests
the breeding of Short-horn cattle with a dignity that gives
your profession rank with the most honorable pursuits of
man. To me this story has ever possessed a peculiar fas<
cination. It seems indeed to me the one romance of live-
stock history: the humble beginning; the long years of
incubation and patient experimentation; the dawn of pop-
ularity; the first great victories; the occupation of two
continents; the dazzling values of the seventies; the rival-
ries of great breeders and exhibitors; the era of unparal-
leled speculation; the plunge into the depths of depression;
the purification wrought by the fires of adversity; the
struggle with contending breeds, and last but not least
the sunshine of present day prosperity. There are pictures
to be seen in this panorama that ought to have a place
In the mind of every man who breeds or feeds a Short-
horn. There are inspirations to be gathered from a study
APPENDIX. 875
of the past that will proye the prelude to present and
future success.
I do not see how any man can become an owner of
Short-horn cattle without wishing to familiarize himself
with the history of the breed. I do not see how any man
can undertake the breeding of Short-horns without in-
forming himself thoroughly as to the ancestry of the cattle
with which he proposes to work. I do not believe any
man ever acquired genuine enthusiasm in this field until
he had first mastered the main facts relating to the careers
of the great breeders and herdsmen of the past. I do not
believe that the average breeder begins to appreciate how
much it would add to his pleasure and profit to be able
to trace step by step the progress of the Short-horn in
Great Britain and America in order that he may define
clearly the true relations of his own cattle to the breed
at large.
• • •
For upwards of twenty years I have been searching the
highways and by-ways of this most extraordinary history
with an ever-increasing interest and with a steadily widen-
ing appreciation of the fact that there is good to be found
upon every page of the English and American herd books.
I defy any fair-minded man to follow faithfully the record
of the breed for the past century and at the end pro-
nounce himself a partisan of any one tribe, any one group
of tribes or of any one section. I contend that the con-
scientious study of Short-horn history will do this for
any honest owner of cattle of this breed — it will make a
Short-horn man in the highest and best sense of the word
even of those who have become enslavod by fads and
fashions. It will lift him out of the narrow slough of this,
that, or the other whim into which he may have fallen, into
the bright sunlight of reason and common sense. There
is nothing like scaling a height if we would make a ra-
tional study of the plain below. There Is nothing like
knowledge , to dispel the clouds of ignorance. There is
nothing like strolling beyond the narrow confines of our
own little horizon to discover what lies in the great world
876 APPENDIX.
beyond. In the language of Scotland's bard, "It wad frae
mony a blunder free us, and foolish notion." This, then,
Is the message I would bring to you here to-day — the
broadening, steadying Influence that flows from familiarity
with the actual accomplishments of the past That Is
the one great point, as I take It, to be gained from a
study of Short-horn history. This same idea has recently
been well expressed by Mr. Richard Gibson in the fol-
lowing language:
"No one can really expect to derive all the pleasure
and satisfaction that is to be found in breeding Short-
horns unless conversant with the history of each family
of his herd and the breeders thereof. Once becoming in-
terested he will read of other families and other breeders,
thus enlarging his ideas and broadening his view so that
he may be led out of a narrow groove and say 'not Bates
nor Booth, nor Cruickshank nor Knightley make Short-
horns, but a happy combination of the lot' "
• • •
The study of Short-horn history enables the breeder to
Interpret intelligently the pedigrees of his cattle. If he
really wants to know what blood is actually in his herd
he will have the breeding tabulated. This will spread
before his eye a record of the ancestry which will mean
much or little to him Just in proportion to his knowledge
of the history of the breed. Are there animals of note
or breeders of distinction revealed by that tabulation? To
what tribe or group of tribes do the various animals be-
long? Through whose hands have they come? Where does
the line of descent pass from Britain to America? What
was the character of the cattle contributing the predom-
inating blood? These and a hundred other queries must
arise in the mind of every intelligent and enterprising man.
A knowledge of the history of the breed is therefore of
practical every-day service in estimating relative values
of pedigrees. This alone should stimulate every buyer and
seller to acquire all the information possible^ from the
past records of the breed. There is another incentive to
those who seek pleasure as well as profit in Short-horn
APPENDIX. 877
breeding — ^the acquiring of a bond of fellowship or com-
munion with the great charactera developed by the trade.
You should be proud to be affiliated with such a fra-
ternity and glory in its achievements. Speaking for my-
self I count it one of the great privileges of my life to
have enjoyed during the past twenty years the acquaintance
and friendship of most of those who have been active in
this line of work. Soon after that memorable day at New
York Mills when England and America Joined in working
out a tribute to the Short-horn breed such as has never
been paid to any other variety of improved domestic ani-
mals since the world began, I took up a quest for knowl-
edge as to the great breeders and herdsmen, and of the
great individual animals of the breed, that is still being
pursued with no abatement of interest; a quest which
has led me upon many an extended pilgrimage throughout
that vast agricultural empire comprised within the com-
and-blue-grass-growing regions of the United States; a
quest which has drawn me across the seas to the ancestral
home of the breed in York and Durham; that has taken
me to the tomb of Thos. Bates; through the fair and fertile
fields of Warlaby; to the vine-clad walls of Sittyton, and
to the gates of two Royal English Shows; a quest that
has sustained me through weary days of note-book work at
Short-horn competitions, and which, best of all, has af-
forded many golden hours of delightful converse about
the firesides of men who have been an honor to the pro-
fession on both sides of the Atlantic; and the more I learn
of the story the more inspiring it becomes. Once in touch
with the real spirit of the theme there is simply no re-
sisting its subtle charm.
• * •
One day in the month of June some years ago one of
England's foremost cattle Judges and one of America's
most gifted followers of the fortunes of the "red, white
and roan" were my companions on a little Journey to the
birthplace of the breed. I remember that we tarried awhile
at a quiet wayside inn at the little hamlet of Klrklevington,
musing upon the scenes recalled by the historic spots that
878 APPENDIX.
we had visited. In fancy we restored to the market places
of Yarm and Darlington that sturdy company of earnest
men that made the grand old breed. There were two
brothers, Charles and Robert, who had brought in from
the pastures of Ketton and Barmpton specimens of the
newly improved Teeswater type. A great throng of land-
lords and tenant farmers from far and near gathered about
a monstrous Colling bullock called The Durham Ox. In
the press we recognize an honest Yorkshire squire who
is addressed as Booth of KiUerby. Yonder is a certain
Christopher Mason of Chilton and one Maynard of Ery-
holme. We notice too a young man with a keen eye listen-
ing to the talk of his elders and studying closely the cattle
to be seen in the village street. It is "Tommy" Bates,
then of Northumberland. The day is spent in buying and
selling, in comparing notes as to how the new breed is
coming on, and all at last adjourn to the tap room of the
Black Bull inn to pledge a health in foaming mugs of brown
October ale to the success of the new-bom breed. Such
is the opening chapter of modern Short-horn history.
The scene changes. A patient plodding figure mounted
on an old white nag rides the winding roadways of York-
shire. Now and then he istops at farm houses along his
route. Day after day he may be seen. Night after night
he writes and writes and wrestles with notes and data
bearing upon the genealogy of the herds that are contrib-
uting to the formation of the now well-recognized and
rapidly-increasing breed known as the "Improved Short-
horn." He is helped by some; hindered by others. It is
Geo. Coates of Great Smeaton, father of Short-horn pedi-
gree registration. Discouraged at first he at last enlists
the sympathies of Jonas Whitaker of Otley and the Eng-
lish Short-horn Herd Book is set upon its feet
Time passes. KiUerby and Kirklevington are the Short-
horn capitals. The genius of two of the greatest cattle
breeders the world has ever known has worked wonders
since that October day in 1810 when under the lime trees
at Ketton, Colling's Comet was sold amidst a scene ot
wild enthusiasm for 1,000 guineas. The Yorkshire and
APPENDIX. 879
Royal shows are organized. Bracelet, Necklace, Duchess
34th, the Oxford Premium Cow and the Duke of Northum-
berland come forward as a revelation. The friendly con-
tests of John Booth and Mr. Bates at these early shows stir
agricultural England to its very depths. Such cattle had
never before been shown to the public. Possibly they
have never since been surpassed.
From Killerby we follow Richard Booth to Studley and
Warlaby and try to conjure up the massive figures of
Isabella and of Anna, or dream of those paragons of bovine
beauty the Magnificent Blossoms, Brides and Queens. Old
"Cuddy" and Crown Prince and Lady Fragrant are but
a memory, and yet how their names still shine on high in
the Short-horn firmament! How the blood bred on at
Torr's and at Lady Pigot's, with Barnes of Westland, with
Raymond Bruere, John Outhwaite and Hugh Aylmer of
West Dereham Abbey! How its vivifying infiuence was
felt in the Grand Duchesses, the Duchesses of Airdrie and
the Sittyton tribes! How it electrified America in the
forms of Rosedale and Baron Booth of Lancaster! Sub-
stance, flesh, beef.
A broad stream flows out from the rolling pastures of
Klrklevington— Tortworth, Thorndale, Holker Hall, Geneva,
and New York Mills! Woodburn, Hillhurst, Dunmore,
Towneley, Bow Park, Underley, Audley End, and Berkeley
Castle; percolating through the entire breed, impressing
the seal of reflnement and elegance upon all it touches!
Quality, level lines, milk, and heads and faces that fairly
defy the powers of art!
The North of Scotland awakens. Robertson and Rennie.
Barclay, Hay, Grant Duff, Gen. Simson, Hutcheson, Sir
William Stirling Maxwell, Amos and Anthony Cruick-
shank carry the gospel of a new agriculture beyond the
River Tweed. Campbell, Marr, Douglas, the Bruces, Syme,
Mitchell, Longmore, Lovat, Buccleuch, Polwarth, Duthie
and the rest make Scotch Short-horns renowned through-
out the cattle-breeding world. Sittyton acquires a fame
second only to that of Warlaby and Klrklevington; the
credit of establishing a rent-paying, quick-feeding type
880 APPENDIX.
that fairly saved a breed, suffering from all the evils of
over-indulgence In favorite bloods.
• • • >
I stood one day. at the spot where the luxuriant Ken-
tucky blue-grass runs riot about the grave of Abram
Renick, and here again a past that was brimming with
brilliant pictures was recalled — the story of the Short-horn
in the Ohio Valley States.
First we see the beautiful woodland pastures of Southern
Central Ohio and Central Kentucky filled with great wide-
backed bullocks, red, red-and-whlte, white, and roan, con-
verting com and grass into prime beef for seaboard mar-
kets. They are driven by hundreds on foot through the
winding defiles of the AUeghanies to Baltimore, Philadel-
phia or New York, and well filled wallets are brought back
to found the fortunes of leading Ohio Valley ftoiilies.
These big, thrifty, profitable cattle were the Pattona and
the "Seventeens" — the descendants of which for half a
century held their own against the more fashionably-bred
herd-book stock produced by the later importations. They
were in all human probability as grand specimens of the
breed as this country has ever known.
Next we note the monumental missionary work of Walter
Dun, Col. Powel, the Ohio and Kentucky Importing Com-
panies and of that greatest of all patrons of American
agriculture, Robert Aitcheson Alexander. Red Rose, Caro-
line and Daisy; Rose of Sharon, Young Mary, Young
Phyllis; Josephine, Illustrious, Harriet, Gem, Lady Elisa-
beth, Goodness, Mazurka and Constance; the Louans, the
Loudon Duchesses, the Brides and the Dukes and Duch-
esses of Alrdrle! Britain has a great galaxy of names upon
the Short-horn registry of fame, but America points with
pride to the fact that the Duns, the Renieks, the Warflelds,
the Bedfords, the Vanmeters, the Duncans, the Alexanders
and their contemporaries. East and West, have had few
superiors on the other side of the Atlantic as actual pro-
ducers of high-class cattle. And how lavishly the Ohio
Valley States dealt out their treasures to the newer West!
With Sweepstakes and Minister and General Grant, Pick-
APPENDIX. 881
rell, Duncan and Spears fairly set the Western prairies on
fire for Short-horns. Capt. James N. Brown, the elder
Leonard, Gen. Meredith, Thos. Wilhoit, Timothy .Day, John
G. Cowan, Col. William S. King, John Wentworth, John
D. Gillett and a host of other able and enterprising men
brought the Short-horn home at last to the hearts of the
Western people.
* * •
When Rip Van Winkle wandered back to his native
haunts on the Hudson after his fabled sleep of twenty
years on the mountain not a single soul in the peaceful
village of Falling Water gave him greeting. "Did ycu
never hear of Rip Van Winkle?" the poor old vagrant
asks in vain. None had any recollection of such an ind -
vidual. Philosophizing then upon the fleeting character of
mundane reputation he sounds the very depths of human
pathos — "Are we indeed so soon forgotten when we're
gone? If my tog Schneider vas here, vhy he would know
me." But "Schneider" too is no longer even a memory in
the streets.
My friends, how easy it Is to forget, even in the prac-
tical business of breeding Short-horn cattle! How little
we know and how little most of us care about the men
who carried forward to sale-ring and show-yard triumphs
the colors of the "Red, White and Roan" even so recently
as twenty years ago! What little regard we seem to have
for the memories of those who bequeathed to the present
generation of men the breed of which we are all so proud,
and with what supreme indifference many of us ignore their
wisest teachings! We live in a busy ^ age. We are so
absorbed in working out the problems of to-day that we
have little thought for the yesterdays. We seem to believe
that no one else ever had Just such questions to solve as
those by which we ourselves are confronted, and that it
is therefore idle to appeal to the past for direction in the
present. But it is not so. A great Virginian once eaid
upon a memorable occasion: "There is but one light by
which my feet are guided and that is by the lamp of ex-
perience." The men who have made the Short-horn what
882 APPENDIX.
it is—the most widely disseminated breed of improved cai-
tle the world has ever seen — have left behind them mes-
sages that, cannot be too often repeated. Their voices call
to you, men of the present day, warning against pitfalls
that beset your path. The lights of a century of experience
hang all about you If you only have eyes to see.
• * •
There are several very striking lessons brought home to
every student of Short-horn records. One of the most
important is that in-and-in or line-breeding has its limi-
tations beyond which the greatest masters of the art have
failed of farther success. Another lesson Is that the right
use of the principle of blood concentration is the greatest
single power the breeder can employ and that Judiciously
applied It has yielded the great successes of Short-horn
history. Is this most potential factor being properly and
profitably used at the present time? To this query I feel
inclined to return a most emphatic negative. Tou have
marked down and put upon the bargain counter most of
the elements to which the principle of in-breedlng might
now be satisfactorily applied. You are working generally
with instruments that have already been steeled to such
a fine edge in the furnace of close-breeding that they are
in many cases becoming frail and peculiarly liable to mis-
haps. There are valuable ores lying all around you wait-
ing for the touch of the refining flame that may call them
into popularity. You talk much of Booth, of Bates, .of
Cruickshank and the elder Renick and at the same time
make little effort to follow their practices. They set to
work to build their fame by the use of the best material
afforded by the entire breed; throwing in the cement of
in-breeding after they had attained a certain point. Their
work was original and creative. They were constructors,
builders — not servile imitators. Why do you limit your
efforts so largely to experiments upon the refractory e'e-*
mentB of the in-bred strains of other days?
The late Mr. Amos Cruickshank assured me personally
in 1892 that his herd had been in want of re-invigoration
for some years prior to its sale to the Messrs. Nelson in
APPENDIX.
1889, and yet there are men here in the West In this year
of our Lord 1901 boasting of their "pure Cruickshanks/'
as if some element of special superiority attached to that
which may be in reality a downright objection. New be-
ginners who have yet to learn the abc's of Short-horn
history go to buy a bull and insist upon having none but
a "straight" this or a "straight" that when better cattle
of equally good or even better breeding might be had for
less money. If there are any such here I hope they will
tell this audience why it is that they commit this crime
against the memories and the teachings of the very men
in whose footsteps they seem to think they are following
by the adoption of this course. The makers of Short-horn
history did not do business in this way.
• • *
What we need above everything else Just now is some
Moses to lead the Short-horn hosts out of the bondage of
fads and fashions. Some day, somewhere, some time, a
man will again engage in this pursuit who will have the
necessary courage to show the way; and I predict here
and now that his triumph will be as complete as that of
the Booths or Bates or of Cruickshank. He will be a real,
not an imaginary follower of their methods. He may use
much, little, or none of the prevailing popular bloods. He
will go up and down the Short-horn world selecting here
and selecting there that which seems likely to contribute
towards the accomplishment of his settled purpose. He
will then probably fuse the mass by blood concentration
and his name will be given to a type that will become the
new idol of the Short-horn cattle breeding fraternity. His-
tory repeats itself. What 'has been done can be done
again. I glory in the grit of the man here in this State
to-day who is pushing "Casey's mixture." He stands for
a principle which if steadily and intelligently pursued will
bring new laurels to the temple of Short-horn fame.
During the past few years you have enlarged your vision
in respect to the prevailing fashionable blood. You have
now thrown the doors wide open to all Scotland. Time
was when you thought that your sires should run direct
884 APPENDIX.
to Slttyton, or if not there then to Kinellar or Uppermill,
and a little later you were glad to have them trace to
Collynie. Now anything that looks like doing you goodr—
and some things that do not look so promising — coming
from any farm that lies between Berwick Bridge and In-
verness gees unquestioned to the head of your herds even
at four figures» no matter what its breeding. While I
claim some share in the credit of building the fame of
the Scotch Short-horn in the Central West, I also appeal
to you as men of sense and Judgment to be sane and rea-
sonable. I appeal to you to extend that same catholic
spirit which you are now showing to Scotland, to the herds
of England, and above all to the herds of your own coun-
try. When this is done, and not until then, you will begin
to enter in my Judgment upon another great chapter in
Short-horn history.
Another lesson drawn from Short-horn records is that
a majority of all the greatest show and breeding cattle^
account being taken of the breed on both sides the water-
have been roans. I do not believe It possible to sustain
the true Shorn-horn thrift and character for many genera-
tions without resort to the roan cattle. Moreover a ma-
jority of the most Impressive sires and show bulls known
to the American trade have either been imported or imme-
diately derived from old country herds — in which roan is
the predominant color. Hence I am inclined to question
the wisdom of restrictive fees upon importations.
William Ton* of Aylesby, wbo has to his credit the great-
est sale of cattle of one man's breeding ever made, to-wit:
eighty-five head for $243,145, an average of $2,860, always
took the position that it required not less than thirty years
of persistent work to bring a herd up to one*s ideas as to
what a Short-horn ought to be. It is one of the misfor-
tunes of the trade in the States that there are not more
men who are closely wedded to the production of high
class Short-horns regardless of the ups and downs of the
business. Of the buying and selling of cattle as mere
merchandise there is no end, but those who have left per-
manent impress upon the character of the breed were ani-
APPENDIX. 885
mated by something more than the purely commercial
spirit. Men who are in the business to-day and out of it
to-morrow; men who do not maintain close contact with
and who have no real affection for their cattle; men who
are patrons of the breed only so long as the pathway is
strewn with flowers, are not the men who have been breed-
makers, breed-builders and breed-savers.
The members of this association should feel that they
hold in trust for the farmers and ranchmen of our country
a legacy that is beyond all price; an inheritance the in-
tegrity of which they have no right to Jeopardize through
the application of practices not sanctioned by those who
created it. Are you acting well your part? That is a
question for each and every one to ask himself at this time.
Read the whole story; recall the wonders wrought in flesh
and blood by others in your calling; study your own herd
and ask yourself: Am I a worthy member of this fra-
ternity or not? Am I doing honestly all I can to help
preserve and strengthen the cattle In my keeping?
It is indeed well to know all we can of Short-horn his-
tory. It is better still to contribute something useful to it
"WHAT'S IN A NAME?''
ADDRESS BY ALVIN H. SANDERS AT THE CENTRAL SHORT-HORN
breeders' CONVENTION AT ST. JOSEPH, MO., JAN., 1904.
The query put to me by your Secretary is one that has
caused dissensions among men from time immemorial. It
was centuries ago, according to the master poet, that the
fair and hapless Juliet answered the question in words
that have been repeated by successive generations — "that
which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as
sweet." The feud in old Verona that forbade the union
of the two fond lovers, because forsooth one's name was
Montague and the other Capulet, has many parallels in
886 APPENDIX.
human song and story. Romeo was neither the first nor
the last man to discover that a mere name may prove
an insurmountable obstacle; and what has proved so true
in human affairs has not been without influence upon
the destinies of other of God's creatures. Those who have
in their keeping the character and reputation of one of the
most useful of all known breeds of domestic animals —
the type of cattle represented in the herds of the mem-
bers of this association — have attached at all times much
significance to names; Justly so in many instances but to
their own grievous injury in others. The question, there-
fore, of the extent to which you, as Short-horn breeders,
shall lay stress upon mere names as contrasted with more
substantial attributes is one of more importance than
would at first appear.
Entering within the walls of the Short-horn world, we
are struck at once by a multiplicity of names. We are
told that within the memory of those still living there
was civil war among factions ostensibly claiming allegiance
to the same fiag. That those warring clans taking each
the name of some great leader sought by every known
means to grasp supreme power and hold their brothers
in subjection. It was In many cases a war of extermina-
tion. Whole families once recognized as the very fiower
of the race are gone from the roster rolls forever — vict ms
of the feuds of long ago. The stranger within the gates
hears the names of Bates, of the Booths, of Knightley, of
"Alloy," of Towneley, of Cruickshank, of Renick, of Dukes
and Duchesses, of Ohio and Kentucky Rose of Sharons, of
Princesses, Josephines, Marys, PhylHses» "Seventeens,"
"Cox importations," Red Roses by Ernesty, "Woods" and
hundreds more. He hears of strange combinations of these
and other names, such as Bell-Bates, Torr-Booth, "pure"
this and "straight" that; he hears of a half dozen different
varieties of Young Marys, Leslie, Red Rose, Flat Creek,
Xalapa, etc., etc. He hears that Duke of Airdrie (12730)
was all right but that Duke of Airdrie 2743 was all wrong.
He, therefore, imagines that he is in a labyrinth from
which only a learned antiquarian can extricate him. Hap-
APPENDIX. 887
pily these names for the most part relate to issues and
matters long since relegated to the limbo of things whicK
were but are not. The barriers that once reared their
bulk at almost every turn are falling before the light of
reason and common sense. There was a time when there
was much — altogether too much — in all these names; but a
new day is dawning. The banners of individual families
and leaders are being lowered and furled, and knives are
being returned to their sheaths, in the presence of the
broad tri-color of the breed itself that now floats trium-
phant over all. The hour is almost here when it will be
enough to know that an animal is simply a Short-horn,
and mere tribal or family derivations will no longer usurp
the place of honest worth.
One great step towards a complete restoration of the
'reign of reason in Short-horn circles must be to forget
many of the names under which the old factional fights
were waged. There are thousands of cattle that served in
the ranks during the old wars under such names as Marys,
Phyllises, Louans, Desdemonas, Mrs. Motts, etc., that are
to this day told by some to stand in the presence of their
alleged superiors, on the assumption that they are still of
what was once frowned upon as plebeian blood. These
should have their commercial disabilities removed. The
war is over. A general amnesty is in order. Let me ex-
plain.
Turning to the Short-horn Herd Book at random I find
the following entry:
"Gem of Oakland 4th; red, calved March, 1884, bred by
J. H. Potts & Son, got by imp. Von Tromp 54160 out of
Gem of Oakland 3d (vol. 25, p. 1130) by Prince of Athel-
stane 40370 — tracing to imp. Desdemona by Frederick
(1060)."
We have been taught to rate this cow as belonging to
the Desdemona family, and yet it would take several yards
of paper to tabulate the full pedigree to the point where
imp. Desdemona would finally appear. She would then be
found at the bottom of the last right-hand column buried
80 deeply under other bloods that all the microscopes in
uiaiB uyyfsanufs 'u turn %^
has Just as good a right t
land 4th! She is no more
of thousands of other cow
the Desdemonas were not
in the old days of specu
present system they must,
that name and be rated a<
there is none of the blood c
time has come when this
printed in the herd book
some real significance in
none at the present time,
cussion of the whole sche
Short-horn cattle. From t
Short-horns have classified t
erence to the maternal side
in the recording of the earli
have had some Justification
of the breed. When all was
men as Colling, Bates anc
habit of buying select cows
Colling ran across Lady Mi
upon the Duchess heifer a^
Booth Sr. found the first I
Each thought that he had a
APPENDIX.
cess blood than of the Duchess. The claim being set up
that such cows as Lady Maynard and the original Duchess
were much better than any other cows in the district in
which the improving of the Teeswater cattle was in prog-
ress, it naturally followed tbat those who had immediate
descendants of those few outstanding cows should use the
name of the female for which such superlative merit was
claimed in designating the progeny even unto the second
and third generations, regardless of what part the bulls
used might have had in the production of the younger
cattle. It gave money value to the grandsons and grand-
daughters, the great-grandsons and great-granddaugh-
ters to say that they were descended direct from
such and such a famous cow. Hence the printing of the
pedigrees in such way as to bring out that fact to the
virtual exclusion of all others. This system once adopted
has been continued by Short-horn breeders to the present
day.
Historians tell us that in the lowest unorganized forms
of society, when savagery and barbarism held sway, it was
the universal rule that hereditary rights and property
descended through the mother. The reason for this is
apparent. There was no such thing as fixed habitations
or family relations. There might be doubt as to the pa-
ternity of a child born under such a system, but there
could be none as to the maternal side of the case. Names
and titles passed, therefore, from mother to offspring in-
stead of from the father, as in civilized society It thus
appears that in tracing descent through the dam and in
naming families from a foundation dam, Short-horn breed-
ers have simply perpetuated a relic of barbarism which
long since should have given way to a more rational sys-
tem. There Is no question as to the paternity of Short-
horn calves. Under our system of breeding and registra-
tion the sire is absolutely known. Why then must we
revert to the methods of the aborigines of the wilderness
in undertaking to show the derivation of the progeny?
My proposition is that the Short-horn assoc'ation should
drop the words "tracing to*" imp. so and so in recording
890 APPENDIX.
cattle, and that breeders should cease using the words
Mary, Phyllis, Josephine, etc., in their advertisements, be-
cause they mean nothing and set up false standards of
compaiison. Moreover, they should also adopt as rapidly
as public sentiment will warrant, the tabulated form of
printing their pedigrees for public distribution. Let us
stop this childish listing of Desdemonas, etc., and speak
of cattle as Scotch-topped American, Scotch-crossed Eng-
lish, Bates-topped Scotch, or in such other manner as shall
convey some tangible idea of the blood elements actually
present. I suggest a resolution requesting the Board of
Directors of the Short-horn association to cease making
these misleading and worse-than-worthless family refer-
ences in the herd book. This is the first step towards
the complete elevation of breed above faction.
More care should be exercised in the naming of calves
being put on record. In the case of the individual animal
there is something in a name. True no high-sounding
title will add an inch to the spring of rib or reduce in
the least the length of leg; at the same time it is wrong
to burden a good beast with a name that is positively
inappropriate or flippant One common mistake is con-
structing a name that is altogether too long. This evil
finally reached such proportions that the Board of Directors
of the association had to pass a rule limiting the number
of words that can be used in naming Short-horns to four.
Ordinarily two words are sufficient; and one is better still.
For my part I do not approve of using either the name of
the farm or the name of the owner in christening Short-
horn babies. This is at best a cheap form of advertising
and such names are not liked by those who buy the cattle.
In the naming of bulls we find in the books innumerable
instances where the owners have, unwittingly perhaps,
discredited their own work by employing a word or words
little short of insulting to any self-respecting, well-bred
animal.
Such names as Bob. Bud. Kid. Mike, Dad, Eli, etc., are all
well enough around the barn, but they do not lend dignity
to a pedigree; nevertheless there are hundreds of pure-
APPENDIX. 891
bred bulls registered under such names. Running hur-
riedly through a few volumes of the herd book I find a lot
of bulls have gone on record under such names as Block-
head 189243, Whiskers 141068. Ground Hog 142116, Rocky
Bill 198097, Cross Eyed Buck 142424. Weary Willie 194224,
Beefsteak 184963, Goo Goo Eyes 187886, But Cut 143983,
Ring Tail 169891, Fishback 148235, Dinkey 146549. Quick
Relief 193785, One-Eyed Riley 141000, Young Saloon 110719,
Podunk 125527, Apple 138778, Toad 141007, Buster 142718,
Cantaloupe 96573, Grasshopper 98359 and Hat Box 141342.
Now this sort of thing may contribute to the hilarity of the
trade, but is it fair by the bulls? Heifers do not seem to
have been made the butt of jokes to such an extent as
their brothers. One tendency has been to load them down
with names longer than the moral law, as for example:
Peri Duchess of Paddle's Run 2d, Duchess of Clarence of
Cottage Home 3d, Miss Bates 2d of Mount Pleasant Town-
ship, 11th Kirklevington Duchess of French Creek, Maud
Muller 4th of Native Grove Farm, Kirklevington Duchess
of Libertyville 3d and Airdrie Lizzie of Mush Run. I find
a cow called Eagle and another regristered as Klondike.
Then there is Pleasant Home Spot and Mother's Baby.
Bulls also catch some long appellations, such as The Man
from Glengarry, Dugan Duke of Cedardale 146914, Red
Coat of Silver Creek Valley and B. & R. & I. Grand Duke
of Wild Eyes 195175. Then there are queer combinations,
such as Sir Lulu 145771, Lord Major Miller 140318, and the
Duke of 4th of July 141138. As a newspaper man I was
impressed by the name of Sample Copy 110091 and Gazette
148822.
It is manifestly impossible to lay down any specific rules
upon the subject of naming cattle. All we can do is to
make general suggestions. First, don't use long names;
second, don't employ "slangy" or trashy names; third,
don't use the name of your farm; fourth, don't tack on
your own name; fifth, don't perpetuate ancient and mis-
leading family names, for this is pure and simple "tommy
rot"; sixth, don't give masculine names to females and
vice versa; seventh, don't use hackneyed, worn-out, com-
892 APPENDIX.
monplace names; eighth, don*t use Duke and Duchess,
Lord and Lady. Baron and Countess and other titles of
the aristocracy; these have been worked to a "frazzle/*
Try and choose names that sound well, look well in type,
and so far as possible give some little clue to the immedi-
ate ancestry.
Probably none of the great herds in Short-horn history
ever carried so many euphonious and carefully chosen
names as the cattle of the Messrs. Booth. Rare judgment
was used at Killerby, Studley anl Warlaby in this matter.
Groups of closely related animals were ^iven names that
had a corresponding relation. When one chances upon the
names for example of CampfoUower, Soldier's Bride, Vivan-
diere and Brigade Major one knows these animals were
near kin. Twin heifers were named Bracelet and Neck-
lace. If Isabella had a heifer calf by Buckingham it would
go on record very likely as Isabella Buckingham. Happy
also were many of the names employed at Sittyton — ^most
of these being assigned, I believe, by Anthony Cruick-
shank's accomplished son John W. Alliteration came into
play here with satisfactory results. Secrets were given
short names beginning with the letter S and so on through
the list. Col. Harris followed this up at Linwood in cer-
tain cases.
The names of flowers have been used among heifers
with happy effect in some noted herds. Bulls should have
names reflecting if possible vigor and power. Individuality
should be aimed at in all instances. Why list a cow as
Fanny pr Daisy or Mary when the index to the herd book
shows thousands have already been recorded under those
names Think up something original and apropos. Delve
into mythology, history, poetry and flction and you will
flnd much material that will assist you in getting out of
the rut. This may take time and research, but you will
be more than repaid by the pleasure it will ultimately
afford you to know that your animals have been sent out
to do their work and have gone down into Short-horn his-
tory under names that Found well, look well and indicate
that you have been giving attention and thought even to
APPENDIX.
those minor details of your business. Inappropriate, out-
landish or well-worn names may convey to the outsider
the impression that you are not taking that interest in
your herd that is necessary to success. Uttle straws Indi-
cate the direction of the wind. The naming of your cattle
is not an unimportant matter. There is not enough care
taken in this regard and I urge you all to give the matter
more consideration.
' And now as to the name of the breed itself. On my
way to the late convention at Portland, Ore., I fell in
with a New England farmer who told me that he owned
about 75 head of "Durhams.'' In the course of our con-
versation he asked me if I thought the "Red Durhams"
were really any better than the "blue" ones. He spoke
of the Red Durhams as if he thought them a distinct type.
By "blue" I at once assumed that he meant the one dis-
tinctive color of the breed. In replying I made use of
the words "roan" and "Short-horn" and commented upon
"Durhams" as being a virtually obsolete word. He re-
plied, "Well, of course, we know what you mean when
you say Short-horn; but our farmers stick to the Dur-
hams." Under that sign the improved Teeswater breed
made its early conquests on those granite hills, and I
imagine the old-fashioned type of big-framed table-backed
oxen will continue to win prizes at the New England
county fairs and continue to serve the good farmers of
that section In the yoke for many years to come. Never-
theless, the name of the breed is Short-horn. Such Is the
legend on both the English and American Herd Books, and
what indeed is in that name?
For answer roll back the curtain of a century past and
call into being the myriad herds that have trod the pas-
tures of two hemispheres under that appellation! There
they are in all their beauty; clad in their coats of many
colors, gracing the beauteous landscapes of "merrie" Eng-
land, grazing the green pastures of sunny France, reveling
in the blue-grass and the stalk-flelds of the United States,
fattening among the straw-stacks and turnip-fields of
Aberdeenshire, filling the feed-lots of Canada, ridding the
894
APPENDIX.
Texans of their horns and putting meat and thrift under
their hides, roaming the ranges of Australia and the Ar-
gentine; known, valued, appreciated wherever symmetry
and feeding quality are sought in the agricultural world!
There is, therefore, that in the Short-horn name that
should bring the glow of an honest pride into the heart
of every man who owns one. There is that in this name
which should command you to cast out sordid selfishness
and stand up for the breed in its entirety, resolved to do
nothing by word or act which will in any way imperil
its future. There is that in the grand old name of Short-
horn which should inspire all who love the breed with that
same ambition which moved the Athenian youth of old to
exclaim: "The trophies of Miltiades will not let me sleep."
INDEX.
Acmon (ie06), UO.
Adams' LuiHer, ImportatlooB,
1886. 7M.
Adama' laat importation, 761.
Additional Importatiooa in 1875,
503.
Admah. 686.
Adoption of Bates type auid meth-
ods, S».
Airdrie 24/8, 2M, 301.
Airdrie Ductless, an, sells for
|23,60Q, 618.
Airdr.e Ducliesaea at 118.000 each,
482.
Airdrie Ducheaaes, flrat of, 166.
Aiidrie Duke 6806, 806.
A line of Cruickahanka, 708.
Albion (14), 6».
Alexander, Importation of, July,
1853. 866.
Alexander, R. A. of Woodburn,
263.
Alexandrians, 668.
Alice's Prince 122593, 742.
Allen, Lewla F., 283.
"Alloy" blood, 42.
American Fat 8tock Show, 646,
806.
An eaily New York importation,
168.
Anemone, 633.
A una by Pilot, 63. >
Arabella, 211.
Arabellas, The, 180.
Barmpton Rose, 151.
Harmpton Hoses, 608.
Barmpton Sales, 50.
Baron Booth of Lancaster, 369.
Baron Crulckshank 106^7, 7\»h.
Baron Lavender 2d, 734.
Baron Lewia. 376, 426.
Baron Victor, 730.
Baronet (1614), 622.
Bashful 2d. 755.
Bates-bred cattle In 1881, 544.
Bates, early atudies In cattle
breeding, 69.
Bates, origmal inveatments. 72.
Batea, Thoa., and the Ducheaaes,
68»
BaleM, Thos., to Klrklevlngton,
84.
Bates.' Thos., death of, 115.
Batea, laat appearance In the
ahow-yard, 106.
Batea to Renick, 213.
BeatUe, Simon, 331.
Becar, N. J., 240.
Beck Taylor, 314.
Bell-Batea tribea. 106.
Bell Dake of Airdrie. 284.
Uelle, 722.
Belvedere (1706), 84.
bertram, 185.
BetU. B. L.. 385.
Bessles. The. 658.
Billy. 56L
Birth of a "boom," 377.
Argentine and the shambles, 776. Blossoms, the. 13L
Athabasca (4358). 666.
Athelstane blood in Canada. 679.
A\alanche, 606.
Avery A Murphy sale, 478.
Aylesby Annas, the, 501.
Ayleaby Flowers, the, 500.
Azalea, 607.
Bakewell experiments, 28.
Baico, Imp., 339.
Barbaroaaa. 68197. 732.
Barclay of Ury. 558.
Barker's, Wm., bull, tL
Barmpton (37763). 642
Barmpton farm, 80.
Barmpton Hero (824 C. H. B.),
at
Bolden, 8. E., 384.
Booth cross disappointing
Kinellar, 653.
Booth herds foundation. 56.
Booth method of breeding. 138.
Booth, Jno. at Killerby, 66.
Booth. Richard, 123.
Booth, Richard, of Studley. 62.
Booth, Richard, death of. 137.
Booth. Thos.. 57, 124.
Booths for New York Mills, 396.
Booth's, Jno., sale, 1852, 122.
Booths, the, 117.
Bow Park herd, 611.
Bow Park, sale in 1878. 536.
Bow Park, «ales in 1881. 642.
(895)
896
INDEX.
Bracelet, 11».
BraceletiL the, 9L
Brawltt Bud, 6<S8.
Brawlth Bude, 602.
Breastplate, 476.
Bride» 182.
Bride BidCt, 132.
Brides, the, 294.
Bridesmaid, 122.
British Flae, imp., 42&.
BrlUsher (suser), 747.
Broadhooks family, 6d2.
Brooks, A. S.. 242.
Broughtons, 112.
Brown, Hon. Geo., and Bow
Park, 511.
Brown, Geo. Hon., death, 528.
Brown's Jas., red bull, 21.
Brown, Jas. N., 277, 834.
Brown, Jas. N. 4k Sons, 814.
Brown, Wm. Judge, 336.
Bruce, Robt., 767-8.
Buchan Hero (3238), 570.
Buckingham, 120.
Buckingham and other celebri-
ties, 128.
Burnside 4618, 830.
Butterfly, jy Matadore, 604.
Butterfly at Slttyton. 603.
Cambridge Premium cow, 05.
CampfoUower, 136.
Campbell of Kinellar, 640.
Campbell and Walcott, 300.
Campbell buys The Pacha. 663.
Canada West Farm Stock Asso-
• elation, 613.
Canadian inporUtions, miscel-
laneous, 696.
Captain Balco (12646), 648.
Carmine, 626.
Carmine Rose, 616.
Caroline, 281, 280.
Carr, Wm., 27.
Challenger a4252), 264, 202.
Champion of England (17526),
630, /70.
Champion of England blood,
concentration of, 638.
Charity. 127.
Cherub, imp., 11606, 438.
Cherub 4th (83860), 664.
Cicely sort, the, 606.
Clara by Mahomed, 604.
Claras, the, 660.
Clarence Klrklevington, 614.
Clarendon (14280), 661.
Clark Co. (O.) Co., 260.
Clarke Go. (Ky.) Importing Co.,
421.
Clay's importations to Ken-
tucky, 116.
Cleopatra, 186.
Clinton (3o. (O.) Assoeiatloa,
260.
ClSTeland Lads, OL
Clipper by Billy, SOT.
Clipper cow, 66L
Clipper tribe, 506.
Closing events of 1874, 468.
Closing events of 1876, 606.
Closing events of 1876, 620.
Closing events of the century,
712.
Cochrane, M. H., 202.
(Cochrane sale in 1880, 638.
Ck>chrane's sale at Windermere,
627.
Cold Cream (white cow), 167.
Colling, Robt, 46.
(Pollings, The, 20.
Collings, pre-eminenoe of, 64.
Collynie, 6iB9.
Color, 863.
Columbian Exposition awards,
701.
Columbian records, 827.
Comet (166), 6L
Comet Star, 0676, 347.
Commodore (54U8). 768.
Constance. 281.
Constance of Lyndale, 414.
Constitution, character and
conformation, 866.
Cornell, Esra, 28L
Cossack (2603), 800. 318.
Count Lavender (60646), 776.
Countess, 62.
(3owan, J no. O., 428.
Cowan, J. G., sale of, 1875. 489.
Coz importation, 170.
Crane, Albert, of Durham Park,
490.
Crane pays |23,600 for an Airdrie
Duchess, 618.
Craven Knight, imp.. 06923, 73S,
786.
Crocus, 606.
Crossing the border, 652.
Crown Prince, 126. 127.
Cruickshank, Amos, . of Sltty-
ton, 676.
Cruickshank, Amos, aketeh, 777.
Cruickshank, Anthony, 683.
Cruickshank brothers, 680.
Cruickshank cattle at American
shows, 670.
Cruickshank cows at Collynie,
770.
Cruickshank, Edward. M8.
Cruickshank type and charActer,
677.
Culshaw. Joe., OO.
CumberUnd (46144), 641.
Chipbearer imp. (52802), 180, 760.
Cupbearer, sketch. 783.
Curtis, Wm. 4k Son. 346.
Dairy capacity, 821.
Daisy, 21.
INDEX.
897
Daniels, Richard, 429.
Dayldson, Jas. I.. 685.
Day, Timothy, 350.
DeOraff. Col. Chas., 640.
Devonshire, 182.
Dexter Park auctions, 478.
Diamond (11357). 254, 294.
Dick Taylor, 308.
Dispersion of Barclay of TJry,
563.
Dispersion of Thos. Bates' herd,
107.
Doctor Buckingham (14405), 621.
Douglas of Athelstaneford. 646.
Dryden, Hon. John, 689.
Dryden importation in 1887, 693.
Dual-purpose breed, a, 800.
Duchess blood, 74.
Duchess exported to England,
379.
Duchess females, 112.
Duchess, original cow, 30.
Duchess sale, last successful,
1888. 763.
Duchess tribe, 68.
Duchess of Alrdrie. 266.
Duchess of Athol, 265.
Duchess 1st. 75.
Duchess 34th, 96-7.
Duchess 51st, 383.
Duchess 66th. 243.
Duchess 97th, 894.
1st Duchess of Oneida, 446.
7th Duchess of Oneida. 446.
8th Duchess of Geneva, 450.
8th Duchess of Oneida. 534.
10th Duchess of Geneva. 447.
Duchesses of Oloster, 604.
Duff of Eden, 666.
•Duke" bull, 69.
"Duke" bulls in demand. 400.
Duke of Alrdrie. 2743. 296.
Duke of Alrdrie, imp. (12730),
266, 291.
Duke of Connaught, 494.
Duke of Devonshire Short-horns,
534.
Duke of Northumberland, 98.
Duke of Noxubee, 723.
Duke of Richmond, imp., 21525,
517, 698, 703.
Duke of Wellington, 230.
"Duke" the first for America,
239.
2d Duke of Athol (11378). 265.
2d Duke of Geneva 5562. 305.
2d Duke of Hillburst, alleged
sale of. 464.
2d Duke of Oneida 9926. 447.
2d Duke of Oxford (9046). 106.
4th Duke of Clarence, 513.
4th Duke of Geneva. 457.
4th Duke of Thorndale. 2790. 3S0.
8th Duke of Tregunter. 722.
14th Duke of Thorndale brings
117.900, 619.
15th Duke of Alrdrie. 357.
Dun and Smith sale, 1838, 188.
Dun's, Walter, importations, 186.
Duncan, Jere, 296.
Duncan, W. R., 355.
Duncan's Duke, 298.
Duncan's W. R., sale, 415.
Dunmore's big deal. 436.
Dunmore sale In 1875, 493.
Durham cow, 176.
Dutch cattle, 19.
Duthie. Wm.. 669.
Earl Ducie sale in England, 242.
Earl Dunmore's sale in 1872.
426.
Earl Spencer, 146.
Early breeders. 20.
Elbert & Fall. 814.
Eliza by Brutus, 596.
Elliott & Kent, 472.
Emmas, the, 660.
English sales in 1878, 533.
English sales of 1873. 458.
Exportations to England. 420.
Fairfax Royal (6987), 616.
Fairholme experiment, 58.
Faith. 126.
Falling market In 1878, 532.
Fancy by Billy. 595.
Fanny Alrdrie "nick." 706.
Farewells. 118.
Farmer's cow. 13.
Favorite (252), 38.
Fawcett's bull, 34.
Fawkes of Famley Hall. 158.
Fayette County Importing Co.,
217.
Feed-lot consideration para-
mount. 552.
Feed-lot favorites, 802.
Feeding for seaboard markets. 19.
Field Marshal (47870) at Col-
lynle, 772.
First Bates bull for Ky., 223.
First Importations to America,
164.
First Short-horns west of the
Mississippi, 348.
Fltz Leonard (7110). 565.
Flatt sale In 1899, 796.
Foggathorpe family, 104.
Foljambe. 36.
Forbes sale in 1899. 796.
Forest Grove sale. 787.
Forth a7866), 632.
Foundation stock. 21.
Fox sale Uj I'tTT, 531.
Frederick WUllam and "the
twins," 707.
Galloway cross, 42.
GaiDbetta (49618/, 744.
"G" and VM" tribes. 501.
898
INDEX.
Gay Monarch. 9S4U. 794.
General Grant, 4826, S64.
Genera cattle abroad, 388.
Gentle Annie, 810.
Gibson. Richard. 892.
Gibson's sale of 1882, 713.
GUlett. John D., 809.
Glen Flora dispersion, 471.
Gold Digger (24044). 663.
Golden age, the, 469.
Golden Days. 602.
Golden Drops. 661.
Golden Drops in America, 682.
Golden Drop of HlUhurst, 729.
Golden Rule, 9^68. 792.
Goldflnder (47967). 746.
Goldflnder. Imp. (2066). 312.
Goldies, The. 660.
Goodness 3d. 296.
Gough ft Miller cattle, 166.
Grand Duchess, 383.
Grand Duchesses, the. 245.
Grand Duke, 2933. 296.
Grand Duke (10284). 245.
2d Grand Duke (12961), 246.
Grand Duko of Gloster (26288),
604.
Grand Lady, 692.
"Grasmere," 818.
Green Bros., of Innerkip, 696.
Griswold sale of 1875, 4S6.
Groom importations and Lale,
4S0.
Grove Park. 334.
Gwendoline 2d. 763.
Gwynnes, 487.
Gypsy Maid, 760.
Halnaby or Strawberry tribe, 60.
Hamiltons, the, 722.
HamiltODS of Kentucky. 538. 541.
, IJarria of Llnwood, 727.
Harris, B. F., 336.
Handling quality, 856.
Hannah More, 313.
Havering Nonpareil 2d. 749.
Havering Park sale, 386.
Hay of Shethin, 571.
Heir of Englishman (24122). 663.
Hellidon sale, 495.
Herd Book. American, founda-
tion. 282.
Herd book consolidation. 798.
Herd-book registration. 851.
Herd book matters. 430.
Hill. J. M.. sale. 356. ■
Hill of North Oaks. 744.
Hillhurst and Lyndale opera-
tions. 418.
Hillhurst, Duchesses, sale. 712.
Hillhurst Importations. 392.
Hitl. E. B. & Bro., 335.
Holdemess breed, 18.
Holford, Duchess sale, 721.
Holker Hall Oxfords. 534.
Hollingsworth. Samuel. 860.
Hblloway'B. Col. big ayerage.
616.
Hope, 126.
Hope, John. 751.
Hope's show herds of 1887 and
1889, 748.
Hopewell, 130.
Hopkins, Samuel M.. 172.
Howard and Downing sale. 427.
Hubback (319). 22.
2d Hubback (1423), 83.
Hudson (9228), 617.
Hustler, Mr.. 47.
Huston, Jno., 336.
Huston, Rigdon. 764.
Huston-Gibson sale in 1883. 716.
Hutcheson of Monyruy. 564.
Hutchcraft'a importation, 216.
lanthe, 224.
lies importations into Illinois,
697.
Illinois herds first. 834.
niinois, high prices in, 422.
Illinois Importing Co.. 276.
Importations into Tennessee, 219.
Importations, recant. 794.
Inbreeding. 36, 842.
Indian Chief. 9851, 695.
Indiana breeders, early. 338.
Indiana, first importations. 275.
Individual character of Bates
cattle. 114.
Injudicious breeding. 643.
Inkhorn (6091). 615.
Iowa, foundation stock in, 348.
Isabellas, 63.
Jacob's sale at West Liberty.
la., 477.
Jerry, bull, 671.
Joe Johnson, 302.
John Bull 698H. 179.
John Bull (11618), 624. 625.
Johnston. Arthur. 694.
Josephine. 204, 319.
Journalism, beginning of live-
stock, 416.
Julia of Ury, 662.
Julius Caesar, 65.
Kate Lewis, 362.
Kello'ff Mistake. 453.
Kentucky and the Patton stock,
166.
Kentucky summer sales of 1874.
466.
Kentucky summer sales of 1883.
720.
Kentucky importing company of
1883. 718.
Ketton, bull, 79.
Ketton dispersion. 48.
Ketton farm, 30.
Killerby. 67. «7.
Kilmcny 8d. 696.
INDEX.
899
Klnellar. 6&0.
King, Col. W. S., 406.
King Cyrus, 294.
King's Victory at St. Louis,
413.
Kissinger's sale, 472.
Knightley "Flllpails," 156.
Knlghtley. Sir Charles, 156.
Lady Bride, 376.
"Lady" Colling, 44.
Lady Elizabeth, 218.
Lady Isabel, 748.
Lady McAllister. 334.
Lady Maynard, 32.
Lady of the Lake, 209.
Lady Sarah, 560.
Lady tribe at Slttyton, 592.
Ladys of Clark, 324.
Lakeside's show herd of 1888,
769.
Lancaster Comet (11663), 627.
Lancasters, the, 601.
Lakeland's bull, 21.
Lavenders, 613.
Leonard (4210), 126.
Leonard, C. E.. 428.
Leonard, N., 347.
Lethenty farm, 667.
Lily by Favorite, 144.
Linwood, 727.
Linwood (}olden Drops. 733.
Linwood's salutary influenoo. 742.
Livingston Co., N. Y., Associa-
tion, 272.
Locomotive (4245), 223.
Longmore cattle at Sittyton, 693.
Lord Althorpe (Earl Spencer),
146.
Lord Bathurst a5173). 623.
Lord Derby, 4949. 356.
Lord George (10439), 121.
Lord Mayor 112727. 737.
Lord Privy Seal (16444), 633.
Lord Raglan (13244). 625.
, Lord Sackville a3249). 594. 620.
K Lord Strathallan, 17591, 685.
Lothians. the. 666.
Louan 21st, 403.
Louans, 297.
Louans, ancestors of. 185.
Loudon Duchess, 322.
Loudon Duchess, 324.
Loudon Duchess 2d, 325.
Loudon Duchess 6th, 326.
Loudon Duke 3097, 323.
Loudon Duke 6th 10399. 427.
Lowman and Smith's importa-
tions, 701.
Lovelys. the, 608.
Lyall, James, 402.
Lyndale sale at Dexter Park,
1874. 462.
Lyndall show herd, 40e.
Madam*. 66.
Madison Co. (O.), sale, 262.
Mahomed (6170), 561.
Major (397), 44.
Mantaliul, 119.
Mario (11779), 253.
Mario (51713), 773.
Market falling off In 1878, 532.
Marquis (11787). 252.
Marr of Uppermill, 666.
Martin's. Dr., importations of
1839, 216.
Mary ALjotsburn 7th, 786.
Master Butterfly 2d (14918), 624.
Mason and Bracket Association,
271.
Mason's closing out sale. 145.
Mason of Chilton, 143.
Massachusetts importations. 180.
Master Geneva. 20368, 704.
MaUdore (11800), 618.
Matchem cow, 90.
Matchless sort, 691.
MaUon. Jas. S., 271.
Maudes, the, 656.
Mazurka, imp., 29L
McMillan sale. 402.
Medalist (13324), 261.
Medora, 65.
Megibben Bedford controversy,
532.
Meredith, Gen.. 338.
Meredith's sale in 1875, 480.
Meredith sale in 1876. 518.
Merry Hampton, 132572,- 796.
Meteor, 231.
Michigan, pioneer breeders of.
342.
Mignonette, 403.
Miller of Brougham, first ship*
ment, 684.
Miller purchase In 1887. 757.
Miller sales in 18S1. 541.
Milne of Kelvin Grove, 506. 699.
Mimulus by Champion of Eng-
land, 590. 689.
Mimulus family. 590.
Miner, Col.. 725.
Minister. 0363. 355.
Miscellaneous importations, 236.
Miss Ramsdens. 651.
Miss Shaftoe. 230.
Miss Wiley 4th. 323.
Missies, the, 656.
Moberley and Young Abbots-
burn, 778.
Moberley. Col., death of, 787.
Moore's Iowa sale, 533.
Monarch, 717, 338.
Morris, Col. L. G., 240.
Moss Roses, 118.
Mrs. Motte, 175.
Muscatoon. 7057, 821.
National convention, the first.
429.
«U mi"
New York Mills dispersion, 411.
Nichols, B. F., 276.
Nonpareils of Kinellar, 651.
Nonpareils, the, 592.
Norfolk (2377), 89.
Norrie, Alex., 780.
North country herds, other, 645.
North Elkhorn, Ky., importa-
tion. 607.
Northern Kentucky Association,
264.
North Oaks sale, 1888. 746.
Oakland Favorite. 10546. 427.
Ohio Importing Co., 194.
Ohio Importing Co.'s agents in
England in 1834. 197.
Ohio Valley herds, 189.
Old Sam. 413.
Ontario, early importations, 672.
Opening sales of, 1S76. 515.
Opposition, spur of, 546.
Opposition *to prevailing "fash-
Ions" developed, 431.
Orange Blossom 18th. 698.
Orange Blossoms, 595.
Origin of the breed, 17.
Orontes 2d (11877). 255. 257.
Oxford Premium cow, 94.
Oxford Royal of 1839, 93.
Oxfords, 90.
Page, Jno. R., 441.
Palmer's sale of Scotch cattle,
717,
Palmv days at Killerby and
Warlaby. 117.
Paragon of the West (4649). 209.
Parks, C. C. and R. H., 436.
Patton stock, 166.
Pearl, bull, 314.
Pennyman. Sir Jas.. 20.
Phillips, Geo. W., 345.
Phoenix (by Foljambe), 37.
Pickrell. J. H.. 358.
Pirkrell and Kissinger, 522.
Pickrells trreat sale. April 27.
1875. 475.
INDEX.
901
Rosys, the, 166.
Royal Barmpton (45503). 691.
RoyttlDukeof Gloster (l'9804),
640.
Royal Fame, 658.
Royal Hero. 113611, 741.
"Royal" honors for Bates cattle,
378.
Russell of Exeter, 696.
St. Valentine. 121014. 797.
Sales in the Blue Gfass. 483.
Sallle Qirl. 741.
Sanders, Lewis, Col.. 173.
Science, "roots" and Short-horn,
551.
Scioto Valley Importing Co.
sale. 249.
Scotch cattle to the fore. 548.
Scotch heifer brings 13.500, 490.
Scotch power in America. 671.
Scotch success at the shows,
703.
Scotland's Pride (25100), 639. 608.
Scotland's searching test. 549.
Scotsman, 410.
Scott Co. (Ky.) Importing Co.,
257.
Scottish Archer (59893), 774.
Search for sires, 737.
Seaton. 4356, 316.
Second Mint. 569.
Second period of activity in
America. 238.
Secrets, the, 105. 605.
Selling the surplus, 866.
Sensation of seventy-three. 434.
"Seventeens." the. 173. 288.
Seymour, R. R., 192-3.
Shaker Importations, 270.
Shakers of Ohio. 671. «
Sheldon, J. O.. 274, 387.
Sheldon herd tranbferred, 398.
Showing. 863.
Simpson and Buchan Hero, 570.
Sir Alfred, 297.
Sirius, 258.
Slttyton, 576.
Slttyton bull, first, 615.
Sittvton cattle in Canutla, tirst.
676.
Sittyton farm, 584.
Slttyton herd, sale of in 1889,
766.
Sittyton sales, summary, 776.
Sittyton sorts at Uppermill. 6C1.
Smithfleld Club, 806.
Soldier's Bride, 135.
Sources of deterioration, 455.
Spears 4k Son, 473.
Speculation, evils of, 646.
Spicys, the. 612.
Stapleton Lass. 26S.
SUrlight (12146). 252.
State fair teeU. 823.
Stevenson, D. A« C, 83&
Stewart, Wm., sale, 438.
Strafford-Page discussion, 442.
Strathearn herd, 757.
Strawberry or Halnaby tribe,
60.
Studley bull. 21.
Studley farm, 62.
SulUn (1485), 164.
Sweepstakes 6230, 301, 3C0.
Tabulated pedigrees, importance
bf, 99.
Teeswater cow, 176.
Teeswater stock, faults of. 27.
Texas panhandle, 819.
Thames, 299.
"The American cow." 46.
The Baron (13833). 621.
The Czar (20947), 626.
"The Durham Ox," 89.
The Earl (646). 82.
The Pacha (7612). 660.
•*The White Heifer That Trav-
elled," 4L
Thompson importation io 1870.
679.
Thompson's other Importations,
683.
Thomson, H. P.. sale of 1876.
488.
Thornberry (12222). 263.
Thorndale and the Duchesses.
244.
Thorndale Roses, 380.
Top prices in England in 1878.
533.
Torr. Wm., 159.
Torr's triumph, 497.
Towneley, Col., 609.
Trans-Mississippi trade, 488.
Tribal designation, 868.
Tuberose 2d, 484.
Turn of the tide. 610.
Potts' twenty years In the show
yard. 708.
Twin Brother to Ben, 68.
Tycoon, 7339, 412.
Universal adaptability, 80L
Uppermill, 665.
Ury Farm. 658.
Vail's purchases of Bates' cat-
tle In 1835. 229.
Valle and Rumsey Importations,
539.
Van Dunck (10992). 155.
Van Meters, the, 305.
Velvet Jacket (10998), 617.
Venus tribe, 589.
Vesper, 121.
Victoria 5l8t. 702.
Victoria», the. 599.
Village Rose and Village Belle,
623.
Violets, first of the. 688.
902
INDEX.
Violet's Forth, 681.
Vlolette, 607.
Virginia' in the yan, IM.
Vivandiere, 1Z6,
Walcott 4k Campbell. 890.
Warflelde» the, 316.
Warlaby and its show-yard
wondert, 123.
Water King» 140.
Waterloos. the. 102.
Wendell, Dr. H., 274.
Wentworth, Joo. Hon.. 336.
West Liberty sale in 1887. 756.
Western events in 1874, 466.
Western Lady, 281.
Wetherell. the "Nestor" of the
trade, 150.
WhiUker, Jonas. 148.
Whitaker's Norfolk (2377), 89.
Whltaker'ff selections of 1835 and
1836, 201.
Whitaker's shipments to Ameri-
ca, 232.
"White Cow" by Agamemnon, 66.
White Rose. 106.
White Strawberry, 125.
Wibaux, Pierre, 820.
Wild Byes tribe, 103.
Wiley of Brandsby, 153.
Wllholt herd, 709.
•WUboIt. Thos., 341.
WiUiam of Orange (50694), 66(.
Williams A. Hamilton sale In
1884. 726.
Willis. J. Deane. 775.
Wilson, T. 8., 848.
Wilson and Seawright, 27L
Windsor and the Blossoms. 131.
Windsor Augustus a9167), 631.
Wisconsin, an early importa-
tion, 276.
Wisconsin ext>erlment, 830
Wisconsin herds, early, 853.
Woodbum, 263.
Woodburn dispersion, 789.
Woodburn Farm. subsequent
shipments to, 268.
Woodburn sale of 1882, 714.
XIT Ran>,h. 819.
Young Abbotsburn 110679. 779,
783.
Young Albion (15), 60.
Young Broadhooks. 572.
Young Chilton (11278). 267.
Young Denton (963), 180.
Young Englishman (31113). 657.
664
Young Marshal. U0705, 740.
Young Mary, 201, 806, 810.
Young Phyllis. 204. 306. 307, 310.
Young Strawberry, 82.
Young Whlttington, 334.
U.C. BERKEUY UMARjES
C027337MHM