270 A HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 



of Northampton and lived to the great age of nine- 

 teen or twenty years. The document accompanying 

 these cattle set forth that they were "bred by Sir J. 

 G. Cottrel whose stock was from Mr. Yarworth, and 

 his from Benjamin Tomkins." All accounts agree 

 that he made a deep impress upon the native stock 

 of that district. Of his get it was written : 



"Their excellencies were for beef and work, and 

 in these qualities they are said to have been much 

 superior to any other cattle which have been known 

 here. Their strength was great and their quickness 

 and speed as travelers remarkable." 



Various local authorities, such as Mr. Cook, of 

 Northampton, and Mr. Sargent, of Springfield, have 

 recorded their high estimation of the Sir Isaac 

 steers as producing beef of better quality than any 

 before seen. There can be no doubt that this bull 

 served as a capital advertisement for the breed not 

 only throughout Massachusetts but in adjoining 

 states. Mr. S. H. Bates, a son of Isaac Bates, 

 availed himself of the opportunity of carrying on 

 the line in later years by the selection of a bull from 

 the Corning & Sotham herd, presently to be men- 

 tioned. 



Mr. Sanford Howard, who was interested in cat- 

 tle breeding in Massachusetts at this time and sub- 

 sequently in the state of Maine, speaking of this 

 bull and his get, bears this testimony : 



"These cattle were kept for one or two years in 

 the section of the state where I then resided on the 

 farm of John Prince, near Eoxbury. The cow never 

 had a calf, and was slaughtered. She was certainly 



