PROGRESS IN THE CENTRAL WEST. 357 



of the other Western breeders of that day he 

 had relied largely upon Kentucky for his breed- 

 ing stock, and he not only bought some good 

 cattle from the blue-grass country but had se- 

 cured the services as herdsman of David Grant, 

 who had been for a time in the employ of Geo. 

 M. Bedford. Grant was a Scotchman, who had 

 gone from Canada to Kentucky to feed show 

 stock, and later on had charge of some of the 

 most celebrated prize-winners ever shown in 

 the West. Mr. Hill died suddenly at Quincy, 

 111., while the Illinois State Fair of 1867 was in 

 progress, and Nov. 20 of that year his herd was 

 closed out at auction under the management of 

 J. H. Pickrell as administrator.* Everything 

 offered sold quickly at good prices. It was here 

 that the 15th Duke of Airdrie was bought by 

 Hon. John Wentworth of Chicago for $1,260. 

 and "thereby hangs a tale." Hon. M. H. Coch- 

 rane of Hillhurst, Can., wanted this bull and 

 sent Simon Beattie to the sale to buy him. 

 The bidding was mainly by Mr. Beattie and a 

 stranger whose identity was unknown to any of 

 the breeders present. The "unknown" had his 



*The Grove Park Herd of James N. Brown & Sons had never failed to 

 g-et the herd prize at the Illinois State Fair after the herd competition was 

 inaugurated until 1867 at Quincy. At that fair J. H. Pickrell's herd was 

 awarded the first prize both for aged animals and for young 1 herd. Mr. 

 Hill, who died on the grounds at the close of that show, won the second 

 prizes on both herds. Hill had always said that he would just like to live 

 long- enough to beat Capt. Brown's herd, so that he really accomplished his 

 object. He was sick when the show was made and died the next day, but 

 he was told that his herd had beaten Mr. Brown's* 



