SOME HISTORIC KENTUCKY STOCK. 305 



cessful operation; a fine illustration being seen 

 in the case of the celebrated pair of "Genevas," 

 Minnie's Duchess* of Geneva and Poppy's Duch- 

 ess of Geneva, familiarly known as "Big Gen- 

 eva" and "Little Geneva," sired by 2d Duke of 

 Geneva.* These fine cows had a remarkable 

 show-yard career, "Little Geneva" usually 

 winning the blue ribbon and her larger sister 

 the red whenever exhibited. They rarely low- 

 ered their colors in any company. 



The Vanmeters. The State of Kentucky 

 was fortunate in possessing distinguished fam- 

 ilies of Short-horn breeders who, like the 

 Messrs. Booth in England, displayed an heredi- 

 tary love for the cattle and for several succeed- 

 ing generations bred Short-horns with a high 

 degree of skill and intelligence. We have 

 already noted the prominent part played by 

 Messrs. George, Felix and Abram Kenick and 

 may now mention the Vanmeters as worthy of 

 rank among those who contributed most to the 

 extension of Short-horn breeding in the West. 

 To them the West is indebted for the Young 

 Marys and Young Phyllises to be found in al- 

 most every good herd. 



About the year 1817 Mr. Isaac Vanmeter, who 

 was a native of Hardy Co., Va. in the valley 



*2d Duke of Geneva 55C2 was bred by J. O. Sheldon and bought by Edwin 

 Bedford, whose success with the London Duchesses, etc., gave him rank 

 among the leading Kentucky breeders of his time. The 2d Duke died 

 young-, leaving 1 a limited number of calves, but they were as a rule excep- 

 tionally good. 



