14 RACEALONG 



a stock ranch. In 1868 he moved to Almeda County 

 and purchased 1200 acres and in 1869 laid out the 

 town of Livermore. My father died at the age of 

 eighty-eight years at Oakland, November 20, 1911, 

 being the last survivor of the party that wrested 

 Fort Sonoma from Mexico. 



"My father started breeding horses in California 

 in 1849 and continued until the last few years of 

 his life. For a number of years my uncle, Martin 

 Mendenhall, was in partnership with him. On Au- 

 gust 1, 1866, there was foaled on the ranch a filly 

 by General Taylor out of Dora by Red Bill. She was 

 named Pet. This filly was injured as a yearling and 

 bred as a two-year-old to Langford. She produced 

 Flora. The following year Pet produced a filly named 

 Puss. She was a sister to Flora. 



'In 1868 my father and uncle Martin Mendenhall 

 leased Langford with an option to purchase him. 

 They kept him for two seasons and after returning 

 Langford to his owner purchased Bell Alta. He re- 

 mained on the ranch until he died. It was through 

 Governor Stanford and my father's friendship for 

 him that the option was secured. I have forgotten 

 how many outside mares were bred to Langford but 

 I was told by my father that Langford was led be- 

 hind a breaking cart to Milpitas and that mares from 

 different points met him there. 



"In the latter part of 1875 Flora and her sister 

 Puss were taken over by William Corbitt from my 

 uncle's ranch in Livermore, presumably on a share 

 proposition. After Corbitt had bred them three or 



