Knox County, Illinois - Chapter 21: Blooded Stock, 1878

If there is one interest of greater importance to the farmers of Knox county than any other it is that of stock-raising. Many have realized this, and have turned their attention largely to this branch of agriculture; and the result is that Knox county can boast of the finest stock, especially of cattle, of any county in the State. "While this chapter is headed as if to treat on stock indiscriminately, yet as cattle are receiving, and have received, more attention than any other class of domestic animals, we shall devote most of the space to cattle. As thoroughbred stock was introduced into Knox county at a very early day, as early indeed as in almost any part of the State, we will speak of the first introduction of such stock into Illinois. The first, perhaps, that were brought into the State were by James N. Brown, in 1834:, when he arrived in Sangamon county with the progenitors of his afterwards famed herd of "Island Grove." Some grades of the "Patton" stock are said to have been found in Madison and in some other southern counties', even earlier. G. "W. Fagg, of Perry county, advertised a short-horn bull in the Union Agriculturist in 1841. The Prairie Farmer notices the Devons of James McOonnell, near Springfield, in 1843. A letter of Gov. Lincoln, of Massachusetts, to Gov. Reynolds, of Illinois, published in the Union Agriculturist for 1841, shows that the former sent some crosses of Ayrshire and shorthorn cattle to a son in Alton that year, which was, perhaps, the first introduction of Ayrshire blood even in a diluted state. The Prairie Farmer, in 1844, chronicles the arrival at Chicago of an imported short-horn for Bronson Murray, of La^Salle county. By the time of holding the first State Fair at Springfield, in 1851, the short-horn appeared in very respectable numbers, and Devons, although not much shown, were said by the Prairie Farmer to be already found in quantity in the northern part of the State. In 1857 the formation of the Illinois Stock Importing Association, and their importations and sales, among^other animals, of twenty-seven short-horns, increased the interest in breeding.

from Kentucky into Cedar township. This did much to improve the native stock at that time. Mr. Marshall yet lives in Cedar, a very old man, being over 90 years old. He has lived to see a vast improvement in the stock of the county. No special interest was taken in thoroughbred .cattle for several years 'after they were introduced by Mr. Marshall. Some short-horns were brought here in 1860 by Peter Godfrey, who is the first man from Knox county to have a record of thoroughbred stock made in the " American Herd Book." In 1862 the nucleus of Mrs. E. J. Byram's herd were brought here from Kentucky. Mr. A. J. Dnnlap, of Galesburg township, brought some to the county about the same time. From that time to 1870 great interest was taken in improving the cattle stock of this county, and many small purchases were made from Byram, Dunlap, and 'also from the best herds in the State of Kentucky b}7 other gentlemen in the county, many of which have grown to Be large and worthy herds. A large number of short-horns were shipped from Kentucky to Galesburg in the years 1872-3 and 1874, and sold at public auction. The people in general were alive to the importance of improving their stock, and consequently these shipments proved to be very remunerative to the interested parties, and highly beneficial to the stock-raisers of the county. The result of these importations and a scientific knowledge of breeding and the expenditure of vast sums of money and close attention, has placed Knox county in the very front rank of the counties of Illinois in the raising of fine cattle. The final grand result of all this outlay of time, labor and money is that dealers and purchasers of blooded cattle are coming to this county to buy them, instead of going to Kentucky. As a proof of this statement, we need but to refer to the shipments made by one gentleman engaged in raising thoroughbred cattle. Mr. J. S. Latimer, proprietor of Cedar Farm, Cedar township, has shipped to the West, principally to Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory, over 500 bulls and 80 cows and heifers during the last five years. The shipments made thus far this year number 175 cattle.

Recently there has been introduced into Knox county the Holstein breed of cattle, which will, no doubt, raise still higher the standard of the cattle stock. Samuel Chapman & Son, of Ontario township, brought their fine herd of Holstein in the spring of 1876. It consisted of Siegel (male), No. 124; Camper Down, No. 103, and Lady Young, females. The last was imported too late to appear in volume 2, American Herd Book, but will be recorded in the succeeding volume. W. W. Green, of Maquon, brought his herd of this class a few months prior to Chapman.

Sheep were not very extensively raised in the primitive days, when wolves were plentiful in these parts. The first flock of sheep, perhaps, that were brought into Knox county were brought from Kentucky by Rev. H. H. Kellogg and Olmsted Ferris in 1842. This flock numbered about 1,500 head. Dexter Farr and Weston Ferris drove them from Kentucky to this county. Calvin A. Cole took the first load of wool sheared from these sheep - consequently the first from this county - to Chicago in June, 1843. On his return Mr. Cole brought a load of leather made in Herkimer county, New York, from hides sent there by Olmsted Ferris the year before. The next ye&r Cole took another load of wool to Chicago, and brought back the cloth made of the wool carried the year previous. This cloth was also made at Herkimer. In 1845 Mr. Ferris imported six full-blood Merino bucks from Yermont, which were the first Merinos brought to the county.

The improvement in the hog stock of the county is, perhaps, more noticeable than that of any other class of domesticated animals. Since the arrival of Daniel Robertson and his brother, in 1828, with 80 head of hogs bred and raised entirely in the timber, and almost altogether upon the roots and acorns of the native forests, there has been untold numbers of these animals raised in Knox county. It would take millions to record their number. Then, and for many years afterwards, it seemed to have made no difference with the farmers in regard to the breed of hogs. They reasoned that a hog was a hog, and that one was as good as another, and made no effort to better their stock. The first effort, perhaps, ever made in the county to improve this stock was about thirty years ago, by Asa Haynes, of Orange township, when he brought some Poland Chinas from Ohio. This breed, with theBerkshires and Chester Whites, comprise the principal breeds raised in Knox county.

In aggregate value the horses of the county are worth more than the combined aggregated value of all other domestic animals. Much interest is now being manifested in the improvement of the farm horse stock as well as the roadsters. W. K. Scott, of Abingdon, has evinced no little interest in this work. He is the proprietor of the celebrated Laurent, an imported French Boulonais stallion, which was brought to the county in 1870. Many other fine blooded animals have been brought to the county by various parties from time to time, all of which have done much to better the horse stock. Among them none have done more than C. E. Cranston, who is well posted in horse flesh, as is attested by his stable of fine Clydesdales.

stock in this county: J. S. Latimer, farm near Abingdon, short-horn cattle, Berkshire and Poland China hogs; Samuel Chapman & Son, Ontario township, Holstein cattle; J. Branard & Son, Ontario township, short-horn cattle and Poland China hogs; J. Alex. Finley, shorthorn cattle, postofnce, Oneida; G-. S. Gates, Ontario township, Poland China hogs; I. M. Wetmore & Son, Ontario township, short-horn cattle and Poland China hogs; G. W. Dunlap & Brothers, section 19, Cedar township, short-horn cattle; H. M. & W. P. Sisson, Henderson township, short-horn cattle and Poland China hogs. Among others are Niles Brothers, Robison Brothers, Robert Deatherage, Dowdy & Son, Samuel Morse, William Maxey, Godfrey & Grice, W. II. Heller, A. G. Dunlap, Mrs. Byram, Mr. Woodmansee, "W. II. Green.