History of Otsego County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 10

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) cn
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Fariss
Number of Pages: 988

USA > New York > Otsego County > History of Otsego County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 10

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The officers immediately proceeded to secure the redemp- tion of the pledge of the village of Cooperstown, which was the donation of ground, the erection of buildings, ete., and a lot of ten acres in area was rented by the society of W. HI. Averill. The grounds were soon inclosed, buildings erected, and a track for the exhibition of horses constructed, at a cost of $2000, which sunt was generously subscribed by the people of Cooperstown and vicinity. The first fair

under this organization was held in October, 1856, and was deemed a complete snecess, the receipts amounting to the sum of $1200. The interest manifested by the people generally in the society stimulated the officers to purchase additional land, and in 1861 an adjoining lot was leased of Mr. George Clark.

In 1870 the society took action, in view of the expira- tion of their lease in 1872. in regard to a change of loca- tion. As there was no possibility of an enlargement of the grounds then occupied, and as a future lease could not be made on satisfactory terms, the board of managers were authorized to make a sale of that portion of the old grounds to which they held a title, and to seek for a new, perma- nent, and extended area. This was done, and a purchase of twenty-seven acres was made for a sum within the price received for the sale of the original eight acres owned by the society.

The grounds of the society are pleasantly located in the southern limits of the village.

The following persons have officiated as officers of the society from its reorganization in 1841 to the present :

Presidents .- David HI. Little, 1841 ; Elisha Doubleday, 1842; Joseph Bennett, 1843-45; O. C. Chamberlain, 1846; W. A. Walker, 1847; William Rathbun, Jr., 1848 ; Joseph W. Ball, 1849-50 ; William Davison, 1851; Samuel S. Bowne, 1852; Homer Coleman, 1853; Alex. H. Clarke, - 1854; Joseph W. Ball, 1835; Francis M. Rotch, 1856- 57; Alfred Clarke, 1858-63; G. Pomeroy Keese, 1864-67 ; Henry Roseboom, 1868-69 ; G. Pomeroy Keese, 1870-72; Luthur I. Burditt, 1873; James R. Moriss, 1875-76; Horace M. Hooker.

Vice-Presidents .- O. C. Chamberlain, 1841 ; John W. Tunnieliff, 1842-43; O. C. Chamberlain, 1844-45; Hal- sey Spencer, 1846; William Rathbun, Jr., 1847 ; Joseph W. Ball, 1848; Luther Smith, 1819; Gustavus White. 1851; Henry J. Bowers, 1852; Alex. II. Clarke, 1833; O. N. Shipman, 1854; Benj. Pierce, 1855; Alfred Clarke, 1856-57; Josiah Davis, 1858-59; Arthur A. Brown, 1860; Geo. Clarke, 1861; William I. Compton, 1862-69; James R. Moriss, 1870-73; Johu B. Hooker, 1875; Fayette Hinds, 1876-77.

Secretaries .- Chas. MeLean, 1841-51 ; Charles Jarvis, 1852; Chas. J. Stillman, 1853; Jerome B. Wood, 1854- 56; G. Pomeroy Kcese, 1857 ; Chas. I. Stillman, 1858-61 ; Horace M. Hooker, 1862-72; Henry K. Jarvis, 1873-75 ; II. M. Hooker, 1876-77.

Treasurers .- David L. White, 1841 ; Henry Phinney, 1842-46; Geo. W. Stillman, 1847 ; Seth Doubleday. 184 -- 51; A. C. Moore, 1852; II. P. Metcalf, 1853; G. Pome- roy Keese, 1854-63; F. U. Johnston, 1864-66; Frederick G. Lee, 1867-69; Charles F. Hendrix, 1870-71; Fred- erick G. Lee, 1872; John Worthington, 1873; F. G. Lee, 1875; II. K. Jarvis, 1876; Tohuman C. Smith, 1877.

THE ONEONTA UNION AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY

was organized Sept. 21, 1872. The first officers were : President .- Allen Serambling. Vice-Presidents .- E. C. Bondy, W. A. Dewey. Secretary .- Myron Yager. Treasurer .- John Cope.

HISTORY OF OTSEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Directors .- William M. Mills, John Gouvey, W. W. Snow, W. H. Cowre, S. M. Ballard, Jay McDonald.

Sinee its organization its growth has been rapid and prosperous. Its fairs have the reputation of being the best in this section of country. The grounds of the society are about 15 acres in extent, beautifully located near the Albany and Susquehanna railroad, embracing one of the best half- mile tracks in the country. The Floral hall and other buildings afford the best of convenient accommodation for exhibition and stock. By the indefatigable exertions of its officers and the citizens generally the financial success of the society has been assured. Its present officers are :

President .- W. W. Snow.

Vice-Presidents .- Allen Scrambling, E. R. Sabin, W. F. Ford, A. E. Hodge, W. M. Mills, W. H. Peck, and Reuben Hale.

Treasurer .- John Cope. Secretary .- H. G. Wood.

Directors .- Walter L. Brown, W. M. Potter, A. C. Lewis, H. G. Wood, S. M. Ballard, and W. H. Cowre.

THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY AGRICULTURAL AND HOR-

TICULTURAL SOCIETY

was organized April 4, 1857, and the article of incorpora- tion reads as follows :

This is to certify that we, the undersigned citizens of the United States and of the State of New York, residents of the towns of Una- dilla and Sidney, in Otsego and Delaware counties, of full age, have associated ourselves together, pursuant to the act passed April 13, 1855, as a society which shall be known and called "The Susque- 'hanna Valley Agricultural and Horticultural Society," and the par- ticular business and object of such society is the improvement in agriculture, horticulture, and the mechanic arts ; that the business of such society shall be conducted at Unadilla village, in the county of Otsego; that there shall he one president, two vice-presidents, one secretary, one treasurer, and eight directors, to manage and conduct the affairs of said society for the first year, and that such officers and managers for the first year shall be as follows : Daniel Hough, presi- dent; David Siver and David Lee, vice-presidents : David P. Loomis, secretary ; Clark I. Hayes, treasurer; and Nathaniel Hughston, Salmon G. Cone, Martin B. Luther, Zachariah Curtis, William J. Weir, Sherman L. Wattles, Ira E. Sherman, and William J. Hughs- ton, directors.

Dated April 4, 1857.

DAVID SIVER, H. C. GREGORY, S. G. CONE,

WILLIAM J. WEIR, MARTIN B. LUTHER,

IRA E. SHERMAN,

D. P. LOOMIS, DANIEL HOCGHI,

LYSANDER PRICHETT.

JOHN HOUGH,

WILLIAM J. HUGHISTON,

Thus this society was organized and placed fairly before the publie in 1857. Its officers were :

Presidents.

Secretaries.

Treasurers.

1857 .. David Hough,

,D. P. Loomis,

David Siver,

R. W. Courtney, R. W. Courtney,

C. I. Hayes. C. I. Hayes. C. I. Hayes.

1861 Ira E. Sherman,

R. W. Courtney, R. W. Courtney,

C. I. Hayes. C. I. Hayes.

.. S. G. Cone,

R. W. Courtney,

C. I. Ilayes.

1×63 ..

.S. G. Conc,

1×6 1.

W'in. J. lughston,

R. W. Courtney, R. W. Courtney. R. W. Courtney,

C. I. Hayes. C. I. Hayes.

1563 ... .. Win. J. Hughston,

C. I. Hayes.

It did inneh good in the community, and its fairs were very successful. In 1866 the society was reorganized and its jurisdiction extended by embracing the towns of Una- . dilla, Otego, and Butternuits, in Otsego County, Sidney, Masonville, and Franklin, in Delaware county, and Bain- bridge and Guilford, in Chenango county.

While this reorganization and extension of territory in-

creased the interest of the people in the society and en- larged its sphere of nsefulness, it rendered the act of incor- poration null and void, and it became a town society, or society of towns, and its name was changed to the " Sus- quehanna Valley Agricultural Society."

Its first annual meeting was held at White's hall, Una- dilla, Feb. 23, 1866, and the officers chosen were :

President .- David Lee, Unadilla.

Vice-Presidents .- C. D. Fellows, Unadilla; Ralph S. Dewey, Sidney ; C. Porter Root, Butternuts; Erastus Smith, Guilford ; Seeley Wood, Otego; E. S. Bradstreet, Masonville; John Banks, Bainbridge; J. Edgar Payne, Franklin.

Secretary .- Robt. W. Courtney, Sidney.

Treasurer .- Clark I. Hayes, Unadilla.

Executive Committee .- Wm. Arnold, Otego; J. M. Rockwell, Butternuts ; A. W. Mills, Guilford ; Hiram Seo- field, Masonville; Joseph Juliand (2d), Bainbridge; J. G. Rogers, Franklin ; H. C. Gregory, Unadilla ; J. H. Mc- Donald, Sidney.

On April 10, 1866, a vote was taken on the propositions of the towns of Unadilla and Otego for the erection of buildings, track, ete., and for the location of the place for holding the fairs of the society, with the following result : for Unadilla, 11 votes ; for Otego, 5 votes,-so that Una- dilla was selected as the headquarters of the society.

An effort was made about this time to hold monthly meetings of the society for the interchange of experience in farming and the discussion of agricultural subjects, but whether successful or not does not appear from the records.

At the annual meeting of the society, on Jan. 1, 1867, W. C. Harold, of Otego, was chosen president ; Geo. B. Fellows, of Unadilla, secretary ; and C. I. Hayes, of Una- dilla, treasurer.

The society had a reunion of the officers and members in the evening of the same day at the same place, at which toasts and speeches were in order ; and although compara- tively few were present, owing in a great measure to the inclemeney of the weather, yet the record says these few had a social and jovial time.

The meetings of the society for this year were held in Fellows' and North's block, and on August 24, C. I. Hayes tendered his resignation as treasurer, and Frederick A. Sands, of Unadilla, was elected by a unanimous vote. HI. A. Willard, agricultural editor of the Utica Herald, deliv- ered the address, and, judging from the report of the treasurer, the fair of this year was quite a success. Re- ceipts, $1337.SS; expenditures, $1181.80 ; balance in treas- urer's hands $156.08.

At the annual meeting held in Porter & Fellows' store. on Dee. 14, 1867, James Russell Blackman. of Butternuts, was chosen president ; Geo. B. Fellows, of Unadilla, seere- tary ; and A. Y. Sons, of Unadilla, treasurer. A consti- tution was adopted at this meeting for the governance of the society. The fair for 1868 was held on September 23-25. Benjamin Cannon, Esq., of Cannonsville. Delaware county, delivered the address, and the Walton cornet ball furnished the music. For some reason it was not a financial success, thirty per cent. being paid in premiums.

At the annual meeting on Dec. 12, 1868, James R.

1439 . David Lee,

Is60. . Ira E. Sherman,

HISTORY OF OTSEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Blackman, of Butternuts, was chosen president ; Robt. W. Courtney, of Sidney, secretary ; and David Siver, of Una- dilla, treasurer.

The fair for 1869 was held October 6-7, and was a sue- cess, the treasurer reporting receipts $1061.28, expenditures $1021.30, balance in treasurer's hands $39.38.

At the annual meeting on Dec. 24, 1869, Joseph Juliand (2d) of Bainbridge, was chosen president ; David P. Loomuis, of Unadilla, sceretary ; and David Siver, of Unadilla, treasurer.

The fourteenth annual fair and catttle show of the society was held October 5-7, 1870. David P. Somers declining to act as secretary, Milo B. Gregory, of Unadilla, was unanimously chosen. The Bainbridge band furnished the music. The society this year paid cighty per cent. in pre- miums awarded, leaving a balance in the treasury of sixty cents.

At the annual meeting held at the office of Justice Siver, on Dec. 24, 1870, a vote was taken on the continuing or disbanding the society ; three-fourths of those present voted to continue it, and C. Porters Root, of Butternuts, was chosen president ; Frank B. Arnold, of Unadilla, secretary ; and Geo. B. Fellows, of Unadilla, treasurer. Frank B. Arnold having declined the office of secretary at the next meeting of the society, Gilbert A. Dodge, of Unadilla, was chosen secretary. The annual exhibition or fair was held Sept. 13-15, 1871.

The fair for 1871 must have been a financial success, for the treasurer reported at the annual meeting that there was a balance in his hands of $16.55, and the premiums must have been paid in full. At the annual meeting of the society, at the office of Justice Heath, in Fellows and North's brick block, on Dec. 9, 1871, C. D. Fellows, of Unadilla, was chosen president ; W. D. Edson, of Sidney, secretary ; and Thomas G. North, of Unadilla, treasurer. The treasurer elect having declined the office, David Siver, of Unadilla, was unanimously chosen as such.

The fair of 1872 was held on Sept. 17-19, and was a success financially and otherwise. At the annual meeting of the society, held at the office of Justice Heath, Dee. 14, 1872, Samuel North, of Unadilla, was elected president ; W. D. Edson, of Sidney, secretary ; and J. Fred. Sands, of Unadilla, treasurer.

The fair of 1873 proved to be a success, the treasurer, in his annual report, showing a balance on hand of $38.57, and a vote of thanks was given the president and treasurer for the able manner in which they had discharged their duties.

€ The annual meeting was held at the agricultural rooms, on Dee. 13, 1873, and Samuel North was chosen presi- dent, W. D. Edson secretary, and J. Fred. Sands treasurer.

The fair for 1874 was fully equal to its predecessors. At the annual meeting, held in the agricultural rooms, on the second Saturday of December, 1874, Thomas C. Monroe was chosen president, T. L. Arms, of Unadilla, secretary, aud David Siver, of Unadilla, treasurer.

The fair of 1875 was held on Sept. 7-9. The treas- urer's report showed that the fair was a success, and a vote of thanks was given to the outgoing officers. At the annual meeting, held in the rooms of the society, on Dee.

11, 1875, Thomas C. Monroe, of Unadilla, was chosen president, William II. Meyers, of Unadilla, secretary, and Daniel Siver, of Unadilla, treasurer. William H. Meyers having at a subsequent meeting declined to act as secretary, A. J. Barlow, of Unadilla, was chosen as such officer.

The fair for 1876 was held on Sept. 21-23, and was successful. The premiums were paid in full, although there was a deficit in the treasury of $9.70. At the annual meeting, at the society rooms, on Dec. 9, 1876, H. C. Gregory, of Unadilla, was chosen president, E. S. Jennings, of Unadilla, secretary, and George B. Fellows, of Unadilla, treasurer.

The fair for 1877 was held on Sept. 12-14. The thanks of the society were given David Siver, late treas- urer, for his long and faithful services as an officer and member of the society. The address was delivered by Hon. D. D. T. Moore, formerly editor of the Rural New Yorker. The exhibition was a good one, and the number of people present was quite large; but the receipts not being sufficient to pay expenses and the premiums in full. there was paid ( pro rata) seventy cents on a dollar. The Unadilla cornet band made their first public appearance on this occasion, and won plaudits from the people for the admirable manner in which they reudered their selections.

Thus this society for twenty-one years, through prosper- ity and adversity, has admirably held its own, and stands now among the best of our agricultural societies, and is doing much in the accomplishment of its high mission, the advancement of agriculture.

THE CITIZENS' AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY

was organized at a meeting held at Otego, Jan. 6, 1869, " for the improvement of agriculture in its various branches." by the election of William E. Arnold, president ; Reuben Hall and W. S. Williams, vice-presidents ; C. S. Williams, secretary ; E. M. Carver, treasurer; and G. L. Martin, Wiu. Birdsall, O. P. Myers, R. Day, Jared Burdick, J. Talmage, and Wiu. B. Fowler, directors.

Twelve acres of land were leased, for a period of seven years, for the purpose of holding a fair. The grounds were enclosed with a tight board fence seven feet high; the neces- sary pens for sheep and swine, and posts for tying cattle, were made ; also a half-mile traek, nicely graded, for the agricultural horse trot.

A fair has been held every autumn since the organization of the society.

At the expiration of the lease, in 1876, the society was reorganized, and the grounds were purchased. The receipts for the past two years have been sufficient to pay all pre- miums ; also to make annual payment on land, aud money in the treasury.

The finances of the society are in a flourishing condition. . The present officers are as follows :

President .- Wm. Birdsall, of Otego.

Vice-President .- Jared Burdick, of Otego. Treasurer .- F. E. Shepherd, of Otego.

Secretary .- E. J. Rathbun, of Otego.

Directors .- M. P. Finch, J. R. Thorp, T. W. Sny.kr. F. D. Shumway, Jefferson Ferry, and Edwin G. Birdsall, of Otego.

HISTORY OF OTSEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.

THE EDMESTON AND BURLINGTON AGRICULTURAL

SOCIETY

was organized in 1866, and has done much to advance the agricultural interests of this portion of the county, and ranks among the flourishing town societies of the State.

The officers for 1877 are as follows:

President,-E. C. Waldo.

Vice-Presidents .- F. C. Huntington, Wm. Lines, and John Ruthford, Jr.

Secretary .- Edgar Bootman. Treasurer .- De Forrest Talbot.

Directors .- Ira Talbot, Adna Wood, Halsey Cook, N.

N. Talbot, David M. Jordan, and J. M. Robinson.

Marshal .- Joseph C. Arnold.

Superintendent of Horses .- Ira Talbot.

Superintendent of Tents .- Delos Smith.

Superintendent of Sheep and Hogs .- Halsey Cook.

In the ladies' department, Mr. J. C. Chapin was presi- dent.

THE BUTTERNUT VALLEY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY

was organized in 1877, and the first exhibition of the society was held at Morris, Oct. 2-4, 1877, and was largely attended.

The officers and superintendents were as follows :

President .- Russell Leonard, of Morris.

Vice-Presidents .- Jabez Collins, Myron H. Wagner, of Morris; F. W. Russel, of New Lisbon ; Alfred Patrick, of Pittsfield; John A. Cooke, of Otego; John Soden, of Laurens ; J. R. Blackman, of Butternuts.

Treasurer .- John A. Ward, of Morris. Secretary .- N. Moore, of Morris.

Directors .- C. P. Root, Salmon Harris, W. H. Gardner, Geo. Elliott, J. W. Still, Thos. Thayer.

General Superintendent .- C. P. Root.

Marshal .- W. Y. Clinton.

Assistant Marshal .- O. A. Edwards.

Superintendent of Track .- J. H. Wilcox.

Superintendent of Horses .- Thos. Thayer.

Superintendent of Cuttle and Sheep .- Geo. Elliott. Superintendent of Swine and Poultry .- Henry Matteson. Superintendent of Grain, Hops, Fruit, and Vegetables. -C. L. Tucker.

Superintendent of Butter, Cheese, and Mechanical Work. -Spelman Folts.

Superintendents of Floral Hall .- C. L. Pope, II. D. Whitcomb, Leroy Sanderson.

General Superintendent of Ladies' Department .- Mrs. J. P. Kenyon.

Assistant Superintendents in the Tent .- Mrs. J. II. Wilcox, Mrs. N. Moore, Mrs. J. W. Still, Mrs. E. A. Stevenson, Mrs. Henry Matteson, Mrs. II. W. Cooke, Miss Dell Patrick, Miss Lillian Lewis, Mrs. A. L. Sander- son, Miss Hannah Haynes.

THE SCHIENEVAS VALLEY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY

was organized in 1865, with the following officers :

President .- George J. Smith.

Secretaries .- John R. Boyce and S. II. Gurney.

The grounds of the society, embracing about sixteen acres, are located one mile west of the village of Scheneras. The officers of the society are as follows :

President .- John Fern, of Worcester.

Vice-President .- Win. H. Seegar, of Colliersville.

Secretary .- C. M. Aylesworth, of Schenevas.

Treasurer .- Geo. A. Shutts, of Chaseville.

Directors .- To serve one year : Geo. J. Nellis, of West- ville; P. F. Crippen, of Worcester. To serve two years : Dow M. Webster, of Maryland ; Thomas Patrick, of West- ford. To serve three years : C. H. Jewell, of Westford; J. P. Burnside, of Maryland.

Ex-Presidents .- George J. Smith, John Fern, James MeKown, Ira Sherman.

General Superintendent .- Wm. Bennett.

Superintendent of Horses .- Eben Webster.

Superintendent of Cattle .- Jacob J. Nellis. Superintendent of Sheep .- Dow M. Webster.

Superintendent of Swine and Poultry .- Ira Sherman.

Superintendent of Fruit and Vegetables .- Almarin Baldwin.

Superintendent of Wagon and Mechanical Work .- Loren T. Brown.

Superintendent of Ludies' Department .- Ida Howe.

UNADILLA VALLEY STOCK-BREEDERS' ASSOCIATION.

In writing the history of Otsego County, it seems emi- nently proper to give a brief account of a movement, now being made upon its western border, in the Unadilla valley, for the improvement of neat cattle.

Agricultural movements do not attract the attention of . the world like military or political movements ; yet in their consequences of increased wealth and its concomitante .-- increased refinement, intelligence, and happiness,-ther often far outrival wars or political changes.

The northern portion of the Unadilla valley is one of the finest dairy districts of New York State. Its meadows and pastures yield abundantly the most nutritious grasses. and from its hillsides bubble up the coolest fountains and flow forth the purest brooklets. Its inhabitants are mostly of New England origin, inheriting a full measure of Yankee thrift and enterprise.

From the first settlement of this valley, its main articles of production and export have been butter and cheese. Its butter often going into market transformed by the middle- men into " gilt-edged Orange county," and its cheese pass- ing through Herkimer county, in process of marketing. going to establish the reputation of what, in the old world. is'called " Herkimer county cheese."

The natural depletion of the herds of the dairymen. by age and other causes, was mainly supplied by heifers reand by the farmers themselves. For a time, however. a limitei number of cows were imported from Canada and the western States. These poorly answered their purp > .. and the farmers generally found them unprofitable : th ... therefore returned to the practice of rearing their own heifers with increased attention, liberally resorting to the different breeds of thoroughbred cattle as a means of its- provenient.

As early as 1840, Mr. Warren De Lancey, of what was

HISTORY OF OTSEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.

then known as " Edmeston Manor," introduced the Dur- hans, the father of Mr. De Lancey, a resident of West- chester county, having been the purchaser of the first Durhams ever imported into the United States. Devon blood was also introduced from the herd of Mr. Van Rens- selaer, of the town of Morris. The " Ackley breed," a family of large, pale-red cattle, originating in the south part of Madison county, was also resorted to as a means of improvement.

In 1864, Mr. H. Langworthy, with other farmers of his neighborhood, formed a company, and purchased a thor- oughbred Ayrshire bull of Mr. C. I. Hayes, of the town of Unadilla. This animal was used for several years, when the same company procured another thoroughbred Ayr- shire bull, of the celebrated herd of Wolcott and Campbell, of New York Mills. Previous to this another company had been formned, with O. B. Hinkley as president, and the locally famous thoroughbred Short-horn bull, Numa, had been purchased. About the same time Mr. Hamilton Bur- diek commeneed breeding the Peri and the Oxford families of Short-horns, and for a period of at least twenty years L. & T. Hoxie had been engaged in breeding up a family of milking Devons, resorting to the herds of Samuel Baker, Esq., of Earlville, and of Mr. Cole, of Batavia, for out- crossing. And, finally, Mr. S. L. Hoxie purchased a thor- oughbred Short-horn bull, whose dam was from one of the noted families of Kentucky Short-horns. Thus was there a continuous effort, extending over a period of more than thirty years, to improve the dairy stock of this locality, and not without success. Some of the farmers now pos- sess splendid herds of graded Ayrshires, while in other herds are noticeable the prompt and portly bearing of the aristocratie Short-horns, while here and there are to be seen the fine forms and beautiful color of the Devons.

The men who engaged in these efforts did not resort to this work as a pastime; they looked for profit. They were men who knew the points of a good eow as well as they knew the features of their children. They were men who thoughit more than they talked, who eared little for show and much for merit. They studied the particular charae- teristics of the different breeds and their erosses with prac- tical accuracy. They noted their superior qualities, and marked their deficiencies with an eye to the shambles and to the milk-pail. They found the Short-horns too much inclined to take on fat while milking. If liberally fed they generally commeneed fattening and proportionately decreased in milk production. They found that the Devons gave a rich quality of milk, but as a rule they were not "deep milkers," and that the Ayrshires spent too much of their food in nervous energy. When young, their teats were so short as to render them extremely vexatious to utilk, while their fleshy udders were particularly liable to disease. The grades, however, from all these different breeds were an improvement upon the native stock. The Ayrshire grades were " deeper milkers," the Devon grades made a finer quality of butter, and the Short-horn grades produced a larger quantity and a better quality of beef.

In 1870, some of the farmers in this locality commeneed an investigation of the Holstein and Dutch breeds of cattle. Various herds were visited, observations made, and notes

compared. They studied them as lawyers study an in- portant ease. Books were read, authorities looked up, and the testimony for and against carefully weighed. In the autumn of 1874, Mr. H. Langworthy and Mr. D. J. Hinkley went to Massachusetts, for the purpose of visiting the various lierds of these cattle in that State, and of pur- chasing if satisfactory animals could be obtained. They first visited the herd of the Hon. Winthrop W. Cheney, of Belmont, the first modern importer of Dutch cattle. Mr. Cheney had been fortunate in his first importations. So fine was their appearance and so wonderful their milk records, that they had at once attracted the attention of breeders and dairymen throughout the United States. So much interest was manifested that the Comunission of Agriculture invited Mr. Cheney to prepare a paper, upon this breed of cattle, for publication in the Agricultural Report of the United States, for the year 1864. The milk records there presented appeared almost fabulous to the ordinary dairyman. Mr. Cheney had heretofore called his cattle " Dutch cattle." In the heading of the article in the Agricultural Report he had changed this appellation to " Holstein cattle," although in the body of his essay he still adhered to the name " Dutch." " Why he thus gave them the name Holstein," says the veteran author and agricultu- rist, J. J. Thomas, " was always a mystery. Many sup- posed that, as a thrifty merchant, the importer wished to establish a trade-mark which would secure him in his monopoly, but this was probably a mistake." If this were true it had the opposite result. It opened the whole of Northern Europe as a source of supply of " Holstein cattle," from whence inferior cattle could be brought and sold upon the reputation alone belonging to the Duteh- Friesian cattle. Importations were immediately stimulated with the prospect of buying these cattle at low figures and selling them at high prices. Some of the importers sent directly to Holstein, others to Oldenburg, and others to East Friesland. The only common characteristics aimed at were size and color. A Holstein herd-book was established. and all animals were received and registered, whether they were Oldenburgers, or Holsteins proper, or Improved Dutch cattle, if they were only in color " black and white varie- gated," and of large size. At least three distinct breeds were thus confounded,-breeds possessing as marked differ- ences as the Herefords and Short-horns. It was a great mistake. Whether Mr. Cheney ever saw this mistake is doubtful, and whether the Dutch cattle recorded will con- tinue to be able to successfully keep up their reputation is a question. Why the Oldenburgers, that are, according to this very herd-book, " a large, coarse breed of eattle, not famous for being great milkers," should be admitted to registry, on equal standing with " the North Hollanders, that have been improved and brought to an almost incredi- ble state of perfection," seems surprising to say the least. It may have been from a desire to fill up the herd-be in. and thus give them position in the agricultural worki. The true object of a herd-book is to preserve the purity of the breed. It would seem that the course pursued would have no other effect than to nullify this objeet. It is argued that " these animals have the same common origin. and the same general characteristics." But it is not

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Otsego County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 10

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) cn Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Fariss Number of Pages: 988

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) cn
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Fariss
Number of Pages: 988