The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1915-02-19

composite origin. Authentic history of
the breed began about the middle of
the 18th century, though tradition rep
resents these cattle as existing in the
northern counties of England at a
much earlier time. For several CEN
turtles preceding the formative period
of the breed in the counties of Dur
ham, Lincoln, York and Northumbar-
land-early known as North Umbria
the kingdom had been successfully
conquered, ruled and plundered by the
Romans, Saxons, Scandinavians, and
finally by the Normans, led by VIII
liam the Conqueror.
The strongest and best elements of
these conflicting, warning national
tiles were blended and refined in the
crusible of succeeding centuries into
race Of people that has led the civil
ization of the world. So were the best
elements of bovine development in
North Umbria selected by intelligent
husbandmen and refined by u long
process of intelligent breeding and
careful development into the modern
breed of Shorthorn cattle. This brief
outline does not presume to be a his
tory of ShorthOrns, and so cannot give
the details of this early period. Among
the pioneer breeders who improved
Shorthorns and gave them notOriety
AID popularity we're Charles and Rob-
ert Colling, Thomas Bates, Thomas
Booth and his sons, Richard and John.
They accomplished this result by ju-
dicious breeding, careful feeding anG
extensive advertising BY exhibiting
their cattle throughout England.
The earliest importation Of Short
horns into the United States was
made about 1870, but the first to be
taken west of the Allegheny noun
tains were imported from England by
Coy. Lewis Sanders of Kentucky in
1917. and were known as the Seven
teens They were landed in Balti-
more and We're then driven across 10
Kentucky. They were excellent cat
tie, though much controversy after
wards sprang up over their breeding.
At the time of their importation no
pedigrees had been secured as many
breeders az that time had not learned
the importance of careful records, this
being several years prior to the es-
Establishment of the English Herdbook.
From 1920 to 1850 many importations
were made both By individual breeders
an accompanies. and so Shorthorn5
soon spread over most Of the states.
First ShorthOrns in Missouri.
In 1889 the first pure-bred Short
horns of which there is any record
were brought into Missouri. III that
year Mr.. n. Leonard of Cooper cOun-
" bought from George Renick, Chill
licOthe, Ohio. the white bull Comet
Star 9676 and the heifer Queen, at
5000 for the bull and $500 for the heif-
er. Comet Star was by Comet HALEY
(S55), for which Mr.. Renick had PAID
50 800 at the closing sale Of the Ohio
Company, and was out of
Imp. Evening Star, brought over by
the same company. The sire of Queen
was Imp. AcmOn 1606), sold for
$3.50 to NJ. l.. Sullivant, who also
paid the Ohio Company $1,000 for
Imp. Flora, the granddam of Queen.
Comet Star and Queen were shipped
Oy the steamboat on the Ohio, Mis-
;isSippi and Missouri rivers, were |
anded at BOonville and from there !
we're taken to Mr.. Leonard's farm |
near Bunceton. Thus they became the |
foundation of Ravenswood herd and
we're retained in it until their deaths. !
They proved to be excellent breeders, I,
md some of their descendants are !
till in the herd. In addition to the in /
.rease of these cattle, Mr.. Leonard .
added to his herd by purchase and la
er became a successful exhibitor at .
ocal fairs, and was also a prize taker
It the first State Fair, held in Boon
lille in 1882.
Unfortunately, most breeding es-
in the United States are
90 transitory to give the excellent re-
ults thai usually come from intelli-
,ent breeding for many generations
n one herd. Hence it was a source
f qualification to Shorthorn breeders
nd should be ground for commend
bic pride to the present owner Of
savcnswood that the herd passed
rom father to son, and now, - years
ince its foundation, it is still main
aimed on that old homestead As I
harles f. Leonard was for many
ears associated with his father in the {
and management of this
erd so is n. Nelson Leonard, grand
on of n. Leonard, founder of the :