USA > Missouri > Grundy County > The History of Grundy County, Missouri : an encyclopedia of useful information, and a compendium of actual facts > Part 28
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IIISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
grown, and it is believed that the time cannot be far distant when the vine- yards and the production of wine will become an important element in the productive wealth of the county. There are at present but few vineyards of a size that warrant the manufacture of wine, yet it is as evident to all observers as it is well known to all farmers, that grapes will flourish here, and that there are few crops raised on any land planted which will show a better net yield to the aere than that set out in a vineyard, and it has aston- ished the writer somewhat to find a crop so certain, so prolific in its yield and so sure of remuneration, that has been so little cultivated for wine making and exportation. Take the Concord variety; the farmers of Grundy county have given it a preference because of its hardy nature, its great yield and the quality of the wine and quantity produced, yet there are other varieties which are as hardy and equal to the Concord in their rapid growth and which will yield more pounds of grapes to the aere and make a far su- perior wine. These are the Elvira, Martha, and Norton's Virginia Seed- ling. The largest vineyard in the county is that of Judge Valentine Breigel, of Lincoln township, to whom the writer is under obligations for much valuable information in regard to the grape crop, and which will be of great value to all those who propose making grape culture a part of their agricultural work. Judge Breigle has a vineyard of three acres in Con- cord, and one of two and a half acres in Elvira and Martha, about equally divided.
As it is the intention to make this work not only a history of Grundy county to date, but a valuable book of information and reference, the writer will give a short history of the grape, from the source spoken of above.
Judge Breigel has given several years of his time and a large amount of money in experimenting with no less than twenty-five different varieties of grapes. He has tested them by the light of experience, in regard to soil, climate, quality of grape, quality and quantity of wine, and the hardy na- ture of those kinds best adapted to the soil of Grundy county. His first . choice for fine wines is the Elvira, next the Martha, then the Virginia Seed- ling and the Concord. Out of the twenty-five varieties, only five proved of value on the soil of this county. These five varieties the judge grows and has discarded all others. For common table wine the Concord leads, and yields on an average 7,500 pounds of grapes to the acre. The Elvira is his favorite, with the Martha a very close second, then comes the Seedling. The Elvira and Martha are the hardiest and the most prolific. They are planted in rows eight feet apart with a space of six feet separating the vines, but it has been found that equal intervals is preferable between rows and vines, and that eight feet is the proper distance, as it gives the vines more room and a freer circulation of air through them. This is what prevents mold or rot. Nine thousand pounds of this grape ean be grown to the acre, and they make the best white wine of good body and splendid flavor. A
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trial of eight years with the Clinton variety proved them a failure. Twelve to fifteen pounds of these grapes will make a gallon of wine. Norton's Virginia Seedling, while making a rich wine, is not so profitable. It takes fifteen pounds or more to the gallon and requires more care. The Cyn- thiana will take the place of the Seedling, being both more hardy and pro- lific, and making a wine fully as marketable as the other.
The vineyard of Judge Breigel has a capacity of 5,000 gallons, and 2,000 gallons were manufactured last year. Miller Lewis, Jacob Mullen, Otto Gehlback and Jacob Breigel all make some wine, but not in large quanti- ties.
We then have the Concord for a good common wine and a hardy grape, and the Elvira, Martha, Cynthiana and Norton's Virginia Seedling for a finer wine. The second and third varieties named are the best, being as hardy and more prolific than the Concord, and produce much richer wine than the two last. There is no trouble to raise these varieties and the profit of wine culture is enormous. Grundy county farmers have had the exper- iment tried and they now know the kinds best adapted to this climate. The United States is yet to furnish the wines for the world.
GRASSES.
The meadow-lands of Grundy county are found wherever the bottom- lands are, and the rest of the county will grow red and white top clover to perfection. Blue-grass, timothy, alfalfa, or orchard grass are all indigenous to the State and the lands of the county. Quite a large number of farmers have splendid pastures of blue-grass, and orchard, both the most nourishing grasses grown. Cattle not only improve but grow fat on it, and require little more grain than enough to harden the flesh to give it solidity, and make them fit for the market.
The hay crop of Grundy. county is a valuable one. Good meadow land will give from one and a half to three tons of hay per acre, and it brings good prices. Of course a country so rich in grasses is the one for stock, and that is why this county has already become noted as a splendid one for stock- raisers. It has no superior in the State.
HORSES.
As we have just said, this county is already noted for its fine stock. Horses, cattle, sheep, hogs and mules are not only numerous already, but are rapidly increasing. The stock men are taking especial pains to secure the best breeds to be found, and where purchased to give them every care and attention. The farmers have given greater attention to draught horses and roadsters than to racing and trotting stock, but the latter is now being sought after, and it will not be long before the native blooded stock will be added to the record of fine horses. The high prices which good trotters
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
always command in the market, should be an incentive to the farmers to look well after their breed of horses, as well as of cattle, sheep and hogs. Of late the success upon the grounds of the agricultural and mechanical expositions, have brought more prominently before the farmers the value of blooded horses, and if they are wise they will give close attention to this branch of the farm business. It is as easy to raise a thorough-bred colt as a scrub, and when grown it is worth half a dozen of them.
The same grasses grow here and are as nourishing as the famed blue- grass region of Kentucky, and it only requires some of the skill, judg- ment and care here to compete with that celebrated land of noble women, brave men and splended blooded stock. However, it will not be long be- fore breeders of fine horses in this county will try the mettle of the racers and trotters of other States with the native trotters and racers, products of their own raising.
CATTLE.
Cattle raising has been the pride of the farmers of Grundy county, and they have given a good deal of care and spent considerable money to secure the best stock. It has paid them well, and even at this day they are em- barking in it largely. The Short-Horn leads up to date; they have proven very profitable so that other breeds have found but little favor. The great supe- riority of the Short-Horn over the native strains, and the very excellent results in crossing shown, by the decided improvement exhibited in the latter, had satisfied the farmer that the heights of excellence had been ob- tained in securing the possession of the Short-Horn. This has caused very little desire to examine into the merits of other breeds which are now com- ing forward, such as the Hereford and the Jerseys.
These latter are quietly and gradually gaining a foothold. Whether the former of the two last mentioned will outstrip the Short-Horn is doubtful, but there is little question but that they will gain, and gain rapidly in the fa- vor and good graces of the stock-raisers of Grundy. It is well known that at not a few of the best fairs and stock sales ever held in this country, the Short-Horn and the Hereford stand side by side competing, and none, pos- sibly excepting the connoisseur of fine stock, could tell which possessed the greater excellence.
THE LITTLE JERSEY COW
is what is astonishing the natives, and what she is capable of doing on the soil of Grundy, this extract from, and comment of, the Trenton Republican, fittingly decribes:
"Mr. P. H. Yakey informs us that his Jersey cattle, mention of which was made in these columns some time ago, are coming fully up to his ex- pectations. In fact, he is more than pleased with his investment. He has
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furnished us the following facts concerning his Jersey heifer, Amy Lang- don, H. R., No. 10,656: She dropped calf May 23d, was 21 months and 3 days old. Milk weighed, first day it was saved, 27₺ pounds. Again the 7th day it weighed 28 pounds, 5 ounces. She ran on pretty good pasture and was fed three quarts of ground feed night and morning, and was kept in the barn lot during the night. She made, during the seven days her milk was kept and churned by itself, 9 pounds and one ounce of butter. She will be two years old on the 20th of August next, having been dropped Angust 20th, 1879.
"If she does that well before she is two years old, what will she do when she is five? Very few, if any cows of any other stock, when at their prime, can be found to do as well as she does now, and it is reasonable that she will double that amount before three years. There is no question but that the Jersey is the best stock for butter, and there is big money in butter-making. Why should not others imitate his example?"
The introduction of this strain of cattle will undoubtedly do much to turn the attention of the farmers to the dairy business, which can be made as profitable as any other business connected with the farm.
In this connection, it may be stated that a lot of fat cattle, purchased in Grundy county, for the Chicago market, by one of the local dealers, Capt. H. F. Peery, were shipped to Chicago the last week in January, 1877, and numbered 110 head, and the entire lot averaged 2,000 pounds each. One car-load of the above averaged a little over 2,400 pounds each, one weighing 2,500 pounds and another 2,600. The question was very natu- rally asked, "who could beat it?" The response, if any, was not audible to the farmers of Grundy or the cattle-buyers. This item is sufficient to convince the most skeptical that as a stock raising county Grundy has no superior and but few equals.
SHEEP.
Grundy county is preeminently a sheep county. Water, grasses and corn are abundant, and farmers are paying a good deal of attention to sheep raising. In the last ten years sheep have wonderfully increased, both as regards number and quality. The Merino takes the lead, but the South- Downs and Cotswold are increasing in number. Grundy county is ahead of many counties in the State in regard to her sheep and wool production, and this branch of farming industry is likely to increase. One of her greatest resources in the future will prove to be sheep raising, and its pro- duetiveness will be found the equal of any of her many wonderful agricul- tural resources. The Merinos so far have proved profitable both for wool and mutton, but there is a belief that the South-Down and Cotswold are both liardier breeds. The Merinos need shelter and protection in winter, in fact so do all, but the Merinos, if too much exposed, are more apt to
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
lose their lambs than the other breeds mentioned. In the early raising of sheep it was supposed they could take care of themselves, and little atten- tion was paid them, but like all other domestic animals the sheep well re- pays good care, while a want of it is likely to be as costly to the farmer as any other stock. The South-Downs are a good mutton sheep, so, also, are the Cotswold, and their hardier nature will be likely to greatly increase their number in the near future. The Merino's wool is short and holds more dirt than the others; in fact, it makes the fleece quite heavy and the clipping is very often sold for less by the pound than the Cotswold or South-Down. The Cotswold, from what can be gathered from the farmer, is likely to become a prime favorite. The wool is long, of fine thread, and in size larger. They are, therefore, for mutton, superior to the Merino. Their clip will average from ten to ten and a half pounds. Some of this breed, on account of size, have sold as high as eight dollars and the pelt was reserved, this too, at eighteen months old. This gives the judgment of the farmer at this day as preferring the Cotswold and Merinos, and next to these the South-Down. As this judgment is founded upon actual tests of their valne, the new set- tler in this county need try no experiments.
HOGS.
are a staple product, both for home consumption and for foreign export, and they form no inconsiderable revenue to the Rock Island Railroad in their transportation. The hog crop ranks among the best in the county, and its productiveness is sure and its profits for the last few years have been fair. There is nothing to prevent this stock from advancing rapidly, for the climate, soil and products are peculiarly fitted to make it a splendid and remunerating success. The manner in which the people have taken advantage of the rich and peculiar resources of the county has shown not only their hard practical sense and education, but that they, seeing the course which would lead to its greatest production, promptly and success- fully adapted themselves to the work in hand. Swine breeding forms an interesting chapter in the farming interest of Grundy county. The com- mon hog of the early day was known or called the "Hazel Splitter." He was a long, lank animal, long in the legs as well as in body, and in early spring when the mast in the woods had become scarce he well represented his name. Putting up and feeding was not the fortune of the hog of the early settlers. A good year for mast was the hog's glory and he got fat, and man profited by killing him, but a failure of this wild crop of swine food changed all this, and man and hog both suffered in those early days accordingly. The race-horse style of hog, and they were almost as fleet, of the "Hazel Splitter," gave way at last to the breed known as the "Irish Granger," a hog imported from Illinois. This improved the orig- inal strain, giving more body, but not decreasing the legs or running gear
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· HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
much. The Grass breed or Suffolk, came next, a short stubby animal of early maturity, and nearly all fat. They failed to meet expectation, and so the "Chester White " was tried by a few, then came the Berkshire. These latter have proven good, but in the early days when allowed to roam in the woods in droves, got a little too wild; outside of this the farmers took to the Berkshire. The Poland-China came last, and of all the breeds in- troduced into Grundy county it probably stands the highest. It is a do- mestic animal and failed to catch any of the wild notions of the favorite Berkshire. It grows rapidly, gains flesh easily, and, in fact, is a hog all over. For the past few years the Poland and Berkshire have become the favorite and the standard breeds.
MULES.
It has been only a few years back since attention has been given to rais- ing mules for a market. Some very fine animals have been raised in this county, and the traffic in these useful animals has largely increased the past few years. Why it has ,not been of large growth is hard to tell. Mule raising can be successfully prosecuted in Grundy county, and the only reason it has not been is probably owing to the fact that there is nothing.in the agricultural or stock raising line that cannot be successfully carried on, and the farmer has not reached the mule department.
MISCELLANEOUS.
1
Not only is Grundy county well supplied with coal, and has fine quarries of building stone, and a plentiful supply of timber, but it has, also, pot- ter's clay of a good quality, and probably it is known to but few that a pottery was in actual operation in this county in 1858, 1859 and 1860. The pottery was on Beckner's Creek in Marion township. The clay near the works on the creek was good and more was found on the farm of John Strickers, in Wilson township. This pottery was conducted by Mr. Couch, father of Finman C. Couch, now of Deadwood, Dakota. There is con- siderable of this ware now in use in Grundy and adjoining counties. Whether a silver mine is one of the resources of Grundy county is yet to be solved, but in the settlement of Taylor township a furnace was found where mineral had been smelted, and from which Furnace Creek takes it name. Small particles of silver were found, but no further development has taken place.
In closing the chapter on Grundy county and its resources, and having given its crops of cereals, the number of its live stock is here added. This number is for the year 1880, 'or ending April 1, 1881, having been taken in the spring assessment of the latter year. There were: hogs in Grundy county, 24,761; sheep, 19,948; cattle, 16,874; horses, 5,716; mules, 746; asses and jennets, 29.
A . Bunkeholder
TEX NEW YORK PUBLIC LIMMARY
ISTOR, CINAR TILDA !!!
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
CHAPTER VII.
AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL ASSOCIATION.
Organization-Incorporators-First Officers-New Organization-Board of Directors- Constitution and By-laws-Grounds.
As early as 1859 the farmers of Grundy county began to think of organ- izing for a county fair. In fact the matter had been talked of for a year or two previous, but did not take definite shape until the fall of 1859, the year above mentioned. It was decided that fall to organize and form an Agri- cultural and Mechanical Association, and a petition was drawn up and the county canvassed for the required number of signatures to be presented to the County Court for its sanction as a body politic under the corporate name of the "Grundy County Agricultural and Mechanical Society." The order of the court granting the prayer of the petitioners reads:
"R. A. DeBolt presents the petition of fifty citizens, freeholders of the county of Grundy, praying to be organized into a body politic and corporate by the name and style of the Grundy County Agricultural and Mechanical Society, and the court being satisfied that such petition is signed by at least fifty freeholders of said county, do hereby declare and order that John W. Coleman, Thos. B. Head, John T. Witten, J. R. Merrill, N. M. Holton, W. W. Brooks, Alf. Bleu, S. F. Ellis, G. W. Moberly, J. T. Tindall, C. G. Chandler, R. A. DeBolt, H. W. Lyday, G. W. Parker, A. Evans, W. Water- land, S. Dunham, S. Peery, W. C. Benson, C. S. Homan, Jas. Kennedy, J. F. Thomas, A. Beckner, L. E. Monby, J. H. Shanklin, L. Field, Jas. G. Benson, H. Renfro, M. Arbogast, T. P. Wynn, J. R. Coleman, John Baxter, J. W. Rice, Jas. A. Goodwin, Wm. T. Sherman, W. P. Walhouse, Jas. Lawnut, Geo. H. Hubbell, Jas. E. Estes, Wm. D. McGuire, Jas. Kackley, Jas. Oliver; B. W. W. Elam, J. W. Bagley, Wm. Collier, Jr., Richard Baxter, Geo. Baxter, C. A. Evans, G. M. Evans, J. Field, J. F. Downing, G. W. Hendrix, C. H. Cornwell, J. L. Ragland, D. S. Hendrix, A. J. Spites, C. L. Reynolds, T. J. Coleman, C. S. Stall, G. Songer, J. S. Herbert, C. Evans, S. A. Gaines, A. Y. Shanklin, G. W. Gaines, J. M. Eng- land, S. M. Haycraft, Chas. Skinner, Thos. Martin, O. Shinn, R. P. Menz- man, J. A. Lowe, James Wynn, B. F. Fulkerson, B. F. Croome, E. Jones, W. P. Cornwell, W. T. Crawford, be and they are hereby incorporated into a body politic and corporate, by the name and style of the Grundy County Agricultural and Mechanical Society."
The above order was made of record at the October term of the County Court, 1859. Not much was done, and owing to the civil war of 1861 little was to have been expected, After the war two fairs were held on the high
17
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
ground just back of the Presbyterian church on Prospect Street, and suc- ceeded beyond the expectations of those who had given their time and money to make them successful. This was the first step toward the present association which has been so successfully maintained, and its history, its trials, failure and success are here given under a new naine.
NORTHI MISSOURI CENTRAL AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL ASSOCIATION.
The history of all successful agricultural, horticultural and mechanical associations are due to the intelligence, enterprise and social qualities of the people. If they are wanting in these they cannot thrive. A unity of inter- ests, directness of purpose and ambitious resolves, is the ground-work of success. We believe in county fairs. Strong, vigorous competition, a de- sire to become the successful competitor, the honest pride which shows it. self when the ribbon is gained, is worthy of all praise. There is nothing sordid in these efforts to win, only a desire on the part of the exhibitor to be known as a successful and skillful worker in the chosen field of his occu- pation. These associations have become numerous in every section of the country. They bring prominently before the country the advancement made in developing the rich resources of our agricultural bonanza, they add to and shows the quickening pulse of the hands of genius, sharpen the intellect and give hope and encouragement to those who work and delve in the labyrinthian depths of the field of science and of art. By becoming known to all it encourages all, and thus the agricultural association becomes in its field of competiton the starting point of many new discoveries which have proven valuable to all classes of citizens. They are in fact the main- springs which develop the richness of our soil, the skill of the husbandman, the magic hand of the artisan and the mechanic, and last, but not least, the intuition, the grace and culture of the glorious womanhood of America.
ITS FIRST ORGANIZATION.
This association was first organized March 9, 1868. After several meet- ings previous, the assembly of that day was of sufficient character, both in number and influence, to form an association, which has proven of incalcu- lable benefit to the farmers and stock-raisers of the county. After a full consultation and study of the situation the following gentlemen were named as the first board of directors of the North Missouri Central Agricultural and Mechanical Association: Edwin Ryder, Chas. Skinner, H. J. Herrick, G. W. Gibson, Josiah Barnes, G. W. Moberly, C. R. Webster, J. H. Shank- lin, J. M. Leedy, Benj. Lockhart and P. H. Yakey. The capital stock was placed at $5,000 divided into shares of $10 each. The board of directors proceeded to business by purchasing a beautiful piece of ground, twenty- two and one-half acres, and fenced it with a board fence nine feet high.
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
The grounds have a natural growth of forest trees, are well set in blue-grass, water plenty, and the face of the grounds somewhat rolling.
The first fair was held in the fall of 1868, commencing September 30th, and lasting three days. The association continued along with varying suc- cess for several years. In 1873 an effort was made, it being the sixth an- nual fair of the association, to organize a grand district fair, to be com- posed of the counties of Livingston, Daviess, Harrison, Mercer, Sullivan, Linn and Grundy, but failed. The counties favored a district organization, provided each county could have it, but as that could not be, the matter was dropped. Grundy county was central, communication easy, and the grounds in good shape, and an association could have been formed by such a combination that would not only have been a splendid success, but resulted in great and lasting benefit to the whole country around. It would have attracted the farmers and stock-raisers of other States, and they, seeing the magnificent country here, would have tended largely to an increase of that class of population. It was unfortunate and an exhibition of short-sighted- ness on the part of the farmers of adjoining counties, not at all to their credit. One fair with the combined energies of the farmers in all these counties would be worth a dozen smaller ones, and while the latter has but a local name and only local effect, the former would have aroused a spirit of emulation reaching far and wide, and north central Missouri would long ere this have become noted, as she is yet destined to be, as the garden of the State.
The ambition of the farmers of Grundy county has, however, exceeded their financial resources in the advancement of this important association. and the stockholders were obliged to succumb to the inevitable. The orig- inal company threw up their charter and another organization was formed, taking many of the old members into the new, who had contributed money, time and labor to its varying fortunes. This was in 1876.
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