The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1915-03-12
SHORTHORN CATTLE IN MISSOURI ]
THE DUNCANS.

The name Duncan is closely inter
woven with Shorthorn history in thu
United States. The older breeders O.
today were familiar in their you'll
with Jerre Duncan of Kentucky, anC
his fine Shorthorns. Descendants anC
relatives Of his settled in Northwes
Missouri in an early day and brought
with them a love for improved stock
Several members of the family settled
in Clay and Clinton Counties and al
at various times bred Shorthorns. 10.
seph Duncan OF Osborn, was probabIy
the first breeder OF Shorthorns ii
/ Clinton County and for several years
had It's best herd. From this herd
drafts were made for establishing new
ones and fer improving the common
cattle Later, herds were started ty
Mr.. Duncan's sons, c. S. and Joseph
Jr., the latter still having q herd near
Osborn.
Stephen Duncan brought Shorthorn
from Kentucky about the year 1856
Among them was the roam bull, Dot
ley 49,, bred By Jerre Duncan, got b.
Young Paragon 1155 and out C Louai
by 0tley (4632). D'Otley was a noted
prize winner and proved a very i'm
7 cssiva sire. His blood runs tllroug
the Louans and many cattle in the
-.estcrn states. His cut appears j.
Volume II of the American Sh0rtLor.
Hccdbooll.
Stephen Duncan had two sons H'ho
became breeders of Shorthorns, s. c
Duncan, who lived in Clay Count!
md H. c. Duncan, founder Of the pr
INT herd at Maple Kill. s. c. Duncai
mad 4 coed herd from 1865 to 1SG-
and at times was prominent in til
show rings. He was a liberal biddcr
1t public sales and bought scnlc notcd
show animals at strcng prices. One
purchase was Tycoon 1888, famou7
sire and prize winner in the herd
;. \. Brown {, Sons Of Illinois. An
otter fine sire in his herd vas Tina
cior 1855.
n giving 4 brief history Of this fcnH-
:Iy of Saorthorr breeders It sccr-s .
reasonable order to notice some o. q
present members in connection with
those Who we're active in cartier times
For many years Joseph Duncan, j..
has bred Shorthorns near Osborn, &C.
ting his foundation stock from MS
ra1nar, who rad the pioneerke-d Of the
county. He has bred some choice cat
+le, one bull from his herd being Gran
Victor 115T52, used with excellent re-
suits in The herd oC II. c. Duncan and
later III that Of Geo. Boutwell,, where
lie became a great prize winner and
sire of show cattle.
Grand Victor was got by Imp. Grand
E!ector $685.. bred by Amos CruicI-
shank, and WAS out OF Imp. Lady Eic-
toria by Vensgarth. $4,000. He also
bred q bull that was sold to Tomson
Brothers and resold fer $1,000 to a. D
Dunn OF Washington, and became the
champion show ball on the Pacific
Coast. Joseph Duncan, Jr., still has Z
small herd of choice cattle on his
farm.
In the same locality is another herd
that for many years has been vel,
known by the name Of Maple Hill and
ay the character. of its ShorthornS
This herd was established in 1872 by
Il. c. Duncan, a son Of Stephen Dun
,an, one of Clinton County's pioneers,
and the foundation COWS came from
The herd Of Jerrc Duncan Of Kentucky.
These COWS were prolific breeders, and
oy 1877 the herd had grown TO such {
size that a draft sale OF a head was
made at an average of 5000. The pri-
yate sales from this herd were good, !
and at different times during succeed /
ng years public sales were made at !
prices.
This herd, ike all the early herds in (
he West, was started with Shorthorn5 .
hat were the produce CT early impor- /
atoms and were of mixed breeding, I
representing in most cases a combina- /
ion Of Bates and Booth blood. They /
we're excellent cattle and were prepo-
ent breeders, in most cases repro
lucing IN offspring the merit Of an
but during the '70s an aristoc-
'acy in pedigrees sprang up and many
Z these older Shcrthorn families wcrc
Iiscriminated against. The result was
. depreciation in values, partly be
ause Of the merit of Bates cattle and
heir higher values, but largely be-
ause of jealousy and a narrow spirit
hown by many who were breeding
his class of cattle. This prejudice