Devon Cattle
From The History of Clark County, Ohio
Chicago: W.H. Beers & Co., 1881 - Page 412
J. J. Scarff, Esq., is the oldest and most extensive breeder of Devons in the county. His fine herd adds a very pleasing feature to our annual fair, whence he enters upon an extended tour, exhibiting at many of the district and State fairs, both East and West, returning late in the fall with a huge bundle of red and blue ribbons, trophies of victory in the show-ring.
His only competitor in this county is Mr. Jesse Mead, who purchased his first Devons from him in 1868-69.
He also bought two females of Mr. James Buckingham, Ohio, in 1871-72, and one of Mr. G. Frantz, Ohio, the same year; he further added to his herd, by buying two cows of Mr. R. G. Hart, Michigan, in 1875, and a cow and calf of J. Showard, Esq., Ohio, in 1878. His herd at this time numbers thirty-one head. Mr. Mead is a regular exhibitor at our county fair, and, between these two rival herds, the badge of honor oscillates. Mr. Mead's herd frequently accompanies Mr. Scarff's through the whole fall campaign, winning many red ribbons over all competitors.
If short horns have found a habitat east of Mad River, the Devons have been domiciled on its western banks.
Mr. John Gowar is the only person that ever gathered a herd of Devons east of Mad River, and his enterprise was unsatisfactory and short lived, therefore grade Devons are rarely seen in the eastern portions of our county.
Messrs. Scarff & Mead find ready sale for their surplus stock at paying figures; the latter has but recently received an order from a gentleman in New Mexico, for a draft from his herd.
Holstein Cattle
From The History of Clark County, Ohio
Chicago: W.H. Beers & Co., 1881 - Page 412
Holstein cattle have but recently been introduced into our county. Mr. W. Smith, of Bethel Township, about two years ago, brought some very fine specimens of this breed from Pennsylvania, and, at the fair of 1879, they made their formal debut in the show-ring, thus seeking a public recognition of their avowed excellence, and challenged criticism by comparison with rival breeds. They promise to meet that long-felt want of farmers, to wit, extra dairy and butcher qualities combined, and will doubtless prove formidable rivals of the Alderneys.
Alderneys
From The History of Clark County, Ohio
Chicago: W.H. Beers & Co., 1881 - Page 412
Alderneys have already stongly intrenched themselves in public favor in certain localities, especially in and about Springfield, although but a few herds kept for breeding purposes have ever existed in the county. Mr. H. G. Hamlin began collecting his herd in 1875, from noted breeders of this sort of cattle, and claims the honor of having introduced the first registered Alderney bull (Marston) into the county. Since the establishment of his herd, he has sold about seventy head at private sale.
One heifer sold when two years old, and with her first calf, gave seventeen and one-half quarts of milk per day, and when at three years old, made seventeen and one-half pounds of butter per week. Mr. Hamlin has introduced into the county some eight or ten head of registered Alderneys, and has on hand now seven. He reports that the demand for young stock is good at an advanced price.
Mr. Edward Harrison, of Springfield, has cultivated this breed of cattle perhaps as assiduously and as successfully as any of his contemporaries. His herd is certainly the peer of any, in purity of blood, and in all the useful qualities for which this breed of cattle is distinguished, which gives to his surplus stock a commanding price in the market. Mr. Harrison has introduced twelve gilt-edged pedigreed Alderneys into the county, and has now on hand a very superior herd.
Several years ago, Mr. W. B. Saylor, near New Carlisle, gathered a herd of choice alderneys, and since his decease his widow has carefully preserved them in all their useful excellence, and has now in her possession several fine specimens of her own breeding. Where Mr. Saylor made his original purchases I have no means of knowing at hand.
Mr. J. J. Scarff, New Carlisle, a few years since purchased a registered Alderney, from which he has reared three calves, and, judging from his recognized ability and experience as a breeder of Devons, it will not be long before this nucleus will be developed into a herd of the finest magnitude. Mr. Charles Anthony's La Belle Desreaux 2d, *No. 5096, is one of the most beautiful specimens of her race, possessing strongly marked characteristics of the breed, yet as symmetrical in form, and as mellow to the touch, as a first-class short-horn; she also gives abundant evidence of her high-born royalty by the highest test known, viz., the ability to uniformly reproduce herself. Mr. Anthony purchased this beautiful cow in Champaign county, Ohio, paying $200 for her.
Mr. William Garrison, of Mad River Township, is the fortunate owner of two heifers from this noble cow. William N. Whiteley, Esq., brought into this county a very finely bred cow (Della T.), but sold her to Mr. C. O. Gardner, of Springfield. Miss Susan Sintz and Mrs. Julia A. Burnett also own one or more registered Alderneys.
Besides those above referred to as registered, there are many others scattered through the county of the so-called Alderneys, but we have classed all those that cannot be registered as grades, however superior they may be in all the useful points of excellence.
For much of my information in regard to this breed of cattle, in our county, I am under obligations to my friend Mr. Edward Harrison, who remarks that the first introduction among us is involved in great obscurity and like the most of innovations, they had to win their way into popular favor. But a few years ago, a car load of these cattle were brought here from the East, but they brought such low figures that the experiment has never been repeated; nevertheless, fifty head of registered Alderneys have been owned in this county.
Since the foregoing was prepared for the press, it has been ascertained that Mr. Joseph Garst, of Pike Township, is the owner of a trio of fine Jerseys, one of them registered in the American Jersey herd-book — the other two eligible to record in said book, applications for registry having already been forwarded. The animals referred to are as follows:
Nannie, No. 2,008; calved, March 29, 1875; sire, Kentucky, No. 628; Dam, Frances, No. 1,808.
Fonna, No. — ; calved February 19, 1878; sire, Crown Prince, No. 330; Dam, Nannie, No. 2,008.
James, No. — ; calved February 5, 1881; sire, Crown Prince 2d, No. 920; Dam, Nannie, no. 2,008.