Pioneering Holsteins in Kansas By T. Hobart McVay
Mr. Edward Reed has suggested that I write a history of Kansas Holsteins and therefore must combine Holsteins and Holstein people. In attempting an article of this nature I realize space will not permit a full resume without omitting many important events, people, and foundation animals. In treating the subject at hand I will attempt to briefly outline the highlights of the early days, a few of the important sires as I remember them, and can learn from history. So far as we can learn the earliest transfer reported in the news in Kansas was when B. Neuman, Frankfort, Kansas, purchased a female from A. L. Langworthy in 1885. In a printed report written by H. B. Cowles, Topeka, one of Kansas’ most ardent workers and best early day breeders, he reported that Holsteins became numerous enough to attract attention in this country in the early 1870’s. By 1880 some of the importers were making milk records commonly thought impossible, and scattered animals began to drift west. Toward the end of that decade Topeka was becoming quite a Holstein center, represented by such breeders as H. W. Cheney, M. A. Low, F. W. Travis, A. G. Potter, and J. B. Zinn. We might add here that some of the best Holsteins in the Topeka area were bred and developed in the herd of H. B. Cowles. It was from this herd that the foundation animals of Ira Romig & Son were purchased, and the most recent breeding in Kansas, tracing to the Cowles herd, was when Smith & White purchased the last of the Cowles herd after his death. At the end of this same decade other breeders doing yeoman service in pushing the breed were J.M. Beach, Maple Hill; M.S. Babcock, Nortonville; C.F. Stone, Peabody; J. P. Mast, Scranton; and Henson & Rathbone, Council Grove. Mr. Stone for years covered the great fairs of the country with such cows as Empress Josephine 3rd, who according to Mr. Cowles ranked easily with the best of the breed up to the time of his writing, about 1920. In a news report of 1904 it was pointed out, “In 1904 the only Kansas herd exhibiting at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition was the Stone Holstein herd of Peabody, Kansas.” It was in this new era that many of the breeders that have such an influence on present day cattle came into the picture. As mentioned before, Ira Romig of Topeka became active with the turn of the century; Tom Ewing, Independence; Chestnut & Sons, Dennison; David Coleman & Sons, Dennison; J. T . Axtell, Newton; Ira F. Collins, Sabetha; C. W. Dingham, Clay Center; E. S. Engle & Sons, Abilene; P. W. Enns, Newton; H. M. Holdeman, Meade; Geo. Lenhart, Abilene; Kansas State Agricultural College, Manhattan; Harry Molhagen, Bushton; G. Regier, Whitewater; Ben Schneider, Nortonville; Mott Bros., Herington; Schuyler Nichols, Herington; Charles Stevens, Columbus; George C. Tredick, Kingman; C. B.Vandeveer, Ashland; A. B. Wilcox & Son, Topeka. With the above group of breeders becoming greatly interested in the popularity of the Holstein cow, it was a natural thing for them to vision greater advancement through a working State organization. It was following a grade sale of Holsteins at Abilene, Kansas in February, 1916, that John W. Johnson and W. H. Mott had gone to Junction City, and were dining at the Bartlett hotel, and here conceived the idea of forming a State organization. Call for a meeting was sent out by letter from Mr. Mott to be in Herington on March 1, 1916. At the meeting a banquet was given by the Herington Commercial Club to visiting breeders. It was here organization was completed, and the organization was named the Holstein-Friesian Association of Kansas. The first president was Dr. Schuyler Nichols, Herington; vice president, Ben Schneider, Nortonville, and secretary-treasurer, W. H . Mott, Herington. The semi-annual meeting in 1916 was held at Manhattan; the annual meeting of 1917 was held at Newton where Dr. J. T. Axtell, Newton and P. W. Enns, charter members of the organization gave a banquet for visiting breeders. The matter of a State Holstein Sale had been discussed at various times but cattle were not too plentiful, and breeders were hesitant about letting their cattle sell, or offer them at public sale, believing there were but few buyers for them. To convince the breeders that a successful sale could be held, Dr. Axtell and Mr. Mott agreed to furnish all the cattle for the first sale. The sale was held and was an unqualified success. From that date the public Holstein sale has grown. One of the beginners prior to the year of 1916, and a charter member, was Harry Mollhagen, Bushton. We mention him especially now because he started with Holsteins in 1910 and among other cattle, owned two bulls that had a tremendous influence on the future of the breed in Kansas. Perhaps we should say four bulls. On April 25, 1916, Mr. F. G. Searles, Oskaloosa, dispersed his herd. Mr. Mollhagen had acquired the bull, Sunflower King Walker, from the Searles herd one year previous. At the Searles dispersal,W. H. Mott acquired Tirania Lady Ouada 5th King, whose dam had a 27-pound, 7-day record, and sired by the same sire as Sunflower King Walker. These animals figured closely in the Mott and Mollhagen herds. A short time later Harry Mollhagen acquired the bull Canary Butter Boy King from the herd of Frank Crandall, Howell, Mich. After being used in the Mollhagen herd for some time he was sold to W. H. Mott, folloiwng on the daughters of the above Searles bred bull. Canary Butter Boy King came from the same herd and was sired by the same sire that was the foundation of the Crescent Beauty breeding of today, and a part of the lineage of the Robin Carr herd. The sire of Canary Butter Boy King being Laundry Girl Butter Boy, who had 18 A.R. daughters and five A.R. sons. Among the daughters were Crescent Beauty Butter girl and Crescent Butter Maid. Later Harry Mollhagen, with his brother, Bill, and a neighbor breeder, George Worth, purchased two young herd sires from Fredmar Farms, Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. These were used in the above herds and from time to time they will be referred to, as they had great influence in many other herds in Kansas.Their names were Fredmar Sir Fobes Triune, and Fredmar Prince Triune Supreme. Other herds in this period of 1910 to 1920 include that of George Appleman, who was elected president of the State Association in 1919 and the herd of Gov. W. R. Stubbs. In the Mulvane community were other good herds, such as those of Carl High, George Bradfield, the Goodin’s and B. R. Gosney. In the Hutchinson area were F. L. Martin, A. M. Davis, W. R. Crow and others. At Topeka, Smith and Hughes were making progress. During this time W. R. Stubbs perhaps attained as much publicity and probably had as much influence on the Holsteins of that immediate time as any other heard. Hoping to quickly improve his cattle, Gov. Stubbs purchased from Wisconsin, the sire, Canary Paul Fobes Homestead, he being sired by Canary Paul and from Jessie Fobes Bessie Homestead. In this herd through his daughters and sons in the Mulvane territory Canary Paul Fobes Hoestead became quite famous. Perhaps his best known son was King Korndyke Canary Homestead who in turn sired Canary Paul Anna Homestead. Canary Paul Anna Homestead was bred by George Bradfield, and did well on the big time circuit for the Mulvane breeders and was later sold to head the herd of C. E. Griffith, Big Cabin, Okla. He shared service with Sir Johanna Bess Segis, an own son of Piebe Laura Ollie Homestead King. Bo Chestnut, of the Chestnut & Sons firm was showing the Griffith cattle at that time. Another beginner in Holsteins in the year 1915 was R. E. Bausman, who purchased his first cow from the herd of Shulters, Robinson & Schultz at Independence. Later purchased a cow and a heifer from Decker at Caldwell, and started testing in 1919. In 1931 Mr. Bausman went north to A. J. Lashbrook’s herd and purchased three bred heifers, one of which was Lashbrook Lou Ormsby, who was a granddaughter of Ormsby Sensation and sired by a son of Ormsby Sensation, then in service at Carrolton College, Northfield, Minn. One heifer dropped a bull calf and it was the mating of this young bull to Lashbrook Lou Ormsby that produced Lou Ormsby Lad Excellent proven sire and Kansas’ 1st Medal Sire. By 1920 Kansas put a state herd out which exhibited at the major fairs and included the Dairy Cattle Congress and the National Dairy Show. Prof. J. B. Fitch, head of the Department of Dairy Husbandry, Kansas State College, at that time was largely responsible for the selection and the herd was in the capable hands of Pat & Bo Chestnut, Denison, Kansas. The herd was headed by Johanna Bonheur Champion 2nd, who was Senior and Grand everywhere except the Dairy Cattle Congress where he was 1st prize Aged Bull. He placed 2nd at the National Dairy Show. He was owned by the U.S.D.B., Fort Leaven worth, Kansas. One of Kansas’ great cows of all time headed that show herd. She was Irene Sarcastic DeKol; Senior and Grand at all fairs, 4th at Dairy Cattle Congress and 2nd at the National. After the close of the season she was consigned to the National Sale, Chicago, where she sold for $3,100 to Mackinshof Farms, N.Y. She was owned by George B. Appleman, Mulvane. The records show that up to the National Dairy show the Kansas State herd had 26 championships, 24 firsts, 23 seconds, 24 thirds, 16 fourth and 10 fifth place awards.