Greenbrier County, West Virginia - 160th Anniversary Booklet - Part 16

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Historical Booklet - Greenbrier County
160th Anniversary - 1778-1938
Published 1938
Transcribed by Lori Samples <dawg @mail.us-net.com>

IT'S THE LIMESTONE ON THE HOOF

Pure bred Shorthorn cattle were first  of the modern beef breeds introduced
into Virginia and subsequently West Virginia.  Messrs. Gough and Miller,
according to the most authentic records, introduced Shorthorn cattle into
West Virginia in 1783 and into that part of Virginia, afterwards West
Virginia, Hardy County in 1795.

George and Felix Renick moved from Hardy County to Chilicothe, Ohio, and
established a herd of Shorthorn cattle there from cattle they secured in
Hardy County.  In 1805 George Renick drove the first fat cattle from Ohio to
Baltimore and in 1817 Felix Renick drove 100 head of fat Shorthorn steers to
Philadelphia.

In the meantime Shorthorn bulls from the Hardy County herds were brought
into  Greenbrier County long before the Civil War and before 1830 steers
were being driven from the Greenbrier Valley to Baltimore, and Philadelpia
markets and later for export to the English markets.  These steers were of
Shorthorn breeding and the production of three, four, and even five years
old grass fat cattle for export persisted until the English markets began to
draw their beef supplies from the Argentine between 1880 and 1890.

No authentic records are available of Shorthorn breeders who maintained
registered herds of cattle before 1855.  Between 1855 and 1857, B. F.
Renick, Samuel C. Ludington and Achilles Rogers all of Greenbrier County,
Virginia (now West Virginia), established herds of registered Shorthorns.

Mr. B. F. Renick purchased the bulls Breckenridge 1776, Chiefton 1345 and
Fillmore 1553, from Benjamin Warfield, Lexington, Kentucky, and the bull
Capulet 1326 from Dr. Breckenridge of Fayette County, Kentucky.  Mr. Renick
maintained a herd of from ten to fifteen cows for more than 20 years and
sold many good bulls throughout the county and state.

Mr. Rogers starting his herd at the same time as Mr. Renick also bred
Shorthorn cattle for more than 20 years.  In 1865 he and his brother, A. J.
Rogers, formed the Virginia Shorthorn Association.  This organization lasted
only a few years.  The Rogers Brothers built up their herd to over 30 cows
between 1869 and 1873.  They made numberous purchases of Messrs. Warfield,
E. H. Beford, R. A. Alexander and Josh Cunningham, all foremost breeders in
Kentucky, then the center of the best in Shorthorn cattle.  This herd
perhaps had a greater influence than any other early herd in giving
Greenbrier County a reputation for good cattle.

Samuel C. Ludington never had so many registered females.  His efforts were
confined largely to breeding and advocating the use of purebred Shorthorn
bulls on native cows for the production of steers for the export trade.

In 1869 Mr. Ludington exhibited a 4000 pound Shorthorn steer at the
Lewisburg Fair.  This was the largest steer ever produced in the state.
This steer was from a Shorthorn cow owned by George W. Buster of Blue
Sulphur Springs.  Mr. Buster sold him to Joseeph Jarrett who used him as one
of an ox team, but the steer quickly outgrew his mate and Mr. Jarrett sold
him to Mr. Ludington.  After his exhibition in 1869, George W. Peyton,
manager of the White Sulphur Springs, bought him for $500.00.  He was too
heavy and fat to travel and a speccial wagon pulled by six oxen ws used to
transport him to White Sulphur.

Andrew McLaughlin of Lewisburg founded his herd in 1894 with the purchase of
a bull and three females from the herd of William Warfield, a son of
Benjamin Warfield, of Lexinigton Kentucky.  Mr. McLaughlin's herd was
continued after his death by his son, Rev. H. W. McLaughlin, up until
recently.  The record of this herd in the hands of father and son is a most
excellent one both from the number of excellent animals produced and the
show record attained.

M. P. Farrier and Son founded their herd in 1898 with a bull purchased from
the McLaughlin herd and three females from the P. S. Lewis and Son's herd of
Point Pleasant.  The Lewis herd was an excellent one and is being continued
by C. C. Lewis and Sons.  The Farrier and Son herd at the time of its
dispersal had attained a high degree of excellence.  At the dispersal sale
of this herd in 1907 C. G. Rader, of Frankford, Rev. R. L. Telford and J. B.
Sydenstricker of Lewisburg all started good herds.

The herd of Wilson brothers was founded in 1910 with the purchase of a cow
from J. B. Sydenstricker that had descended from the Farrier and Son herd.
Additions to the Wilson brothers herd were secured from Buckland Hall Farms
of Virginia, the Thomas Brothers, of Kentucky and Carpenter and Ross of
Mansfield, Ohio.

The herd of Tuckwiller Brothers, Lewisburg, was established iin 1915 with
the purchase of several cows and a bull from the noted herd of W. C.
Rosenberger, Tiffin, OH.  Additions to the herd were secured from breeders
in Missouri, and in 1929 this herd was increased to 30 head of breeding
females.

In 1916, Rev. H. W. McLaughlin, C. G. Rader, J. B. Sydenstricker, Tuckwiller
Brothers and Wilson Brothers institued a local Shorthorn show, with the idea
of stimulating the breeders to further herd improvement.  The initial show
was satisfactory to the breeders and of great interest to the general
public.  Each year saw the attendance increase until 1920, the year prior to
the organization of the Greenbrier Valley Fair when over 3000 spectators
from within and without the State were present.

The need and demand for an Agricultural Fair was evident.  The above named
group of breeders invited interested citizens of Ronceverte and Lewisburg to
join them and the present Fair resulted.  Shorthorns had again led the way.

Following the establishment of the Fair in 1921, S. P. Preston, Lewisburg;
Lloyd Heavener, Lewisburg; Edgar Dixon, Organ Cave; S. W. Kincaid, Alderson;
and William Higgenbotham of Frankford, started herds.  Mr. Preston developed
a number of excellent cattle within the last decade.

The most recent and by far the largest herd is that of Oscar Nelson and Son
of Lewisburg, founded in 1936.  this herrd was founded with a selection of 6
heifers from Wilson Brothers, to which was added many choice cows and
heifers frm the best Shorthorn herds of the Middle West and Canada.  The
owners have shown and intend to show their cattle extensively and thereby
uphold and increase the prestige of Shorthorns in Greenbrier.

<Photo>
<Caption reads: General Robert E. Lee on his favorite mount: "Traveller."

The picture reproduced here was made from an original presented to Capt.
James W. Johnston for Christmas, 1895, by an old friend and fellow soldier,
Joseph M. Broun.  With it went the following message:
"To James W. Johnston, from his old comrade, Joseph M. Broun,
in memory of the 60th Virginia Infantry, C. S. A.

"This horse was bred by you in Greenbrier County, Virginia; was sold by you
to me in the fall of 1861, in camp on Sewell Mountain, Virginia, and was
sold by me Feby., 1862 in camp near Pocotaligo to General Robt. E. Lee.  He
became Gen. Lee's favorite war horse.  This picture was taken from life
after the war at Lexington, Va.
(signed) J. M. B. Christmas 1895.

Of Traveller, his original owner, Capt. J. W. ("Dick") Johnston, wrote as
follows:
" 'Traveller' was a stylish, big-headed fellow, that always attracted
attention.  He had a rapid, springy walk, high spirit, bold carriage and
muscular strength.  He needed neither whip nor spur, and would walk 5 or 6
miles an hour over rough mountain roads with his rider holding him in check
by a tight rein.  Moved with vim and eagerness as soon as mounted;  was
about 16 hands high; weight abot 1,100-lb.; was quiet, good disposition;
loved to be petted, and was just as intelligent as possible for a dumb brute
to be; was a Confederate Grey; deep chest, short back, strong haunches, flat
legs, small head, broad forehead, delicate ears, quick eye, black mane and
tail.

"There was no end to his endurance of toil, hunger, thirst, heat, cold and
all the suffering through which he passed."
-J. W. Johnston.

NEXT:  DAIRY CATTLE, HORSES AND SHEEP