VI 



All references to early Aberdeen- 

 Angus history pay deference to the cow 

 Old Grannie, bred by Hugh Watson of 

 Keillor, Scotland. And well they may. 

 So far as the writer is aware, she stands 

 without an equal in years and useful- 

 ness. In the Scotch Polled Cattle Herd- 

 book, in the first volume issued, which 

 combines both Aberdeen-Angus and Gal- 

 loway, is Old Grannie (1), or the Prima 

 cow. Calved in 1824, she died on July 

 1, 1859, at the age of 35 years and 6 

 months. 



Scotland has produced in the past a 

 number of celebrated breeders of Aber- 

 deen-Angus cattle, and in their time 

 none gave greater service to promoting 

 high-class breeding than Hugh Watson 

 of Keillor, Forfarshire, William Mc- 

 Combie of Tillyfour and Sir George Mac- 

 pherson Grant of Ballindalloch. The 

 first two long since passed away, but 

 the latter is- yet an active breeder. 



Old Grannie was one of the most 

 notable of many noted animals bred by 

 Watson. It is said that he desired to 

 keep her as long as possible, to demon- 

 strate the longevity of a vigorous ani- 

 mal of the breed kept in a natural con- 

 dition. And so during the many years 

 of the triumphs of Watson, Old Grannie 

 stood at the head of the herd as an 

 example of what an Angus matron 

 might do and be. 



In her long career she produced twen- 

 ty-five calves, of which eleven are regis- 

 tered in the herdbook. The following list 

 gives their names and sires: 



BULLS. 



Strathmore (5) Calved 1851 



Old Windsor (115) Sire, Black Jock (3) 



First Menius (129) Sire Black Jock (3) 



Hugo (130) Sire, Old Jock (1) 



The Baron (134) Sire, Black Jock (3) 



COWS. 



Hope (3) Sire Grey-Breasted Jock (2) 



Lady Clara (4) Sire 



Beauty of Bnchan (5).. Sire 

 Young Favorite (61)... Sire 

 Fdintmrgh (64) Sire 



Grey-Breasted Jock (2) 

 Grey-Breasted Jock (2) 

 Grey-Brea'sted Jock (2) 

 Grey-Breasted Jock (2) 



Keillor (231) Sire, Old Jock (1) 



If it is true that the real history of 

 the Aberdeen-Angus breed began in 1808, 

 with the improvements of Watson, then 

 this work had been sixteen years in 



21 



