RURAL LIFE IN LITCHFIELD COUNTY 



In order to be able to recognize his cattle each settler 

 had his "ear mark," which was registered in the town 

 records, and in case an unknown animal was found it was 

 reported and a description was "posted" for recogni- 

 tion by the owner. 



While distinct breeds of cattle, sheep and horses 

 were being developed in England and other European 

 countries during the middle part of the eighteenth cen- 

 tury, we have no records of any of these breeds being 

 imported to our shores until near the close of the eigh- 

 teenth and the early part of the nineteenth century. 

 Litchfield County can justly claim credit for early be- 

 coming interested in the introduction and development 

 of two breeds of improved stock that proved of great 

 value to the country. These were Devon cattle and 

 Merino sheep. A few specimens of the famous breed 

 of cattle that later made Litchfield County famous for 

 its fine working oxen, were first brought to Maryland 

 in 1 793 or 1 794, and a few years later Lemuel Hurlburt 

 of Winchester bought a famous bull and a little later 

 several heifers from these early importations. These 

 choice specimens were the foundation stock of a valu- 

 able herd, and their progeny was gradually dissemi- 

 nated throughout the county and the State. The 

 Devons proved to be hardy, rugged animals, well suited 

 to our rigorous climate, and many of them had good 

 dairy qualities. Their distinctively valuable quality, 



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