910 A HISTORY OP HEREFORD CATTLE 



" there were others. " Prime Lad 16th and Folly's 

 Lad were in the money in the aged bulls and Prime 

 Lad 38th was wearing a ribbon among two-year- 

 olds. Then there was that rare heifer Eosette; and 

 all the while John Letham was as proud and happy 

 over it as were the owners. Why not? And the 

 Lads were to be heard from again another day.* 

 Let it not be forgotten, nevertheless, that wrapped 



*John Letham was born at Stonehouse, Lanarkshire, Scotland, in 

 March, 1859. He came to this country when twenty-one years old and 

 started from the ship's side with $2.50 in his pocket. Two years later 

 he was employed at Youngstown, O., feeding Shorthorns. From there 

 he went to Princeton, 111., where he had charge of the Shorthorns and 

 Percherons of the late Dr. W. H. Winter. Thence he went to Lea- 

 land, Tenn., among the Sussex of Overton Lea, and here found his 

 first chance to enter the showyards of the west first in 1887 with 

 Mayfern, a 2,180-pound Sussex cow, again in 1888 with Rosewood, the 

 champion yearling and grand champion carcass steer, following in 1889 

 by George, winner of "The Breeder's Gazette" challenge shield for best 

 steer bred and fed by exhibitor. 



In the spring of 1891 John Letham went to Mr. VanNatta's at 

 Fowler, Ind., where he fed Hickory Nut, winner of "The Breeder's 

 Gazette" shield and grand championship, and also the champion herd 

 of three steers at the Chicago Fat Stock Show. In 1892 he fed Jerry 

 Rusk, champion at Des Moines and reserve at Chicago Emergency 

 Show. He was still with Mr. VanNatta in 1893, the World's Fair 

 year at Chicago, when Miss Beau Real 3d headed the aged cow 

 class at eight years and the beautiful Annabel was first-prize two- 

 year-old and champion Hereford female (the reserve going to Miss 

 Beau Real 3d). While it was not Letham's good fortune to show 

 Cherry Brandy at the Fat Stcok Show that fall, he left him ready for 

 the fray after two years' careful training, although the steer had 

 never been shown up to that time. 



From 1893 until 1900 Letham was not in the arena, but on the 

 latter date he came forward with the two sensational calves from 

 Mr. Henry's The Woods Principal and Prince Edward, champion calf 

 and reserve champion. In 1901 The Principal was grand champion 

 and Prince Edward champion grade of the show. This same year 

 Prime Lad was in his yearling form, all three animals being from one 

 crop of calves. In 1902 Prince Edward was grand champion at Des 

 Moines and stood second to Shamrock at Chicago, while Valiant Lad 

 was champion yearling and reserve grand champion. In 1903 Prime 

 Lad won his way to grand champion honors in his two-year-old form, 

 but the herd was dispersed and a new lot had then to be bred or 

 bought. In 1904 came Little Joe, grand champion at St. Louis, and 

 Rare Lad, junior champion bull at Chicago. 



Meantime, in the hands of Mr. VanNatta Prime Lad went on and 

 became the St. Louis Exposition and Chicago International grand cham- 

 pion of 1904. In 1905, while still with Mr. Brock, Letham gained the 

 two-year-old and Hereford bullock championship at the International 

 with the great steer Silver Lad, by Kansas Lad Jr. Letham's skill 

 was well established in the handling of this bullock. Three shows 

 were made with him. He had second as a calf and yearling, and in 

 his two-year-old form at a weight of over 1,700 pounds was the cham- 

 pion white-faced bullock of the year. 



In more recent years Mr. Letham has greatly added to his laurels 

 through the great records made by the Disturbers. 



