SOME AMERICAN BREEDERS. 283 



was pleased to escape further responsibility), he took charge of his own affairs, 

 and a year or two later apprenticed himself to learn the cabinet trade, attend- 

 ing the high school during the winter, working his board by doing chores. 



In the spring of 1860, times being dull, and not finding profitable employ- 

 ment, he concluded to try his fortune in California. As it happened that no 

 one from that locality crossed the plains that year, he set out on foot and alone, 

 with $13 in his pocket to reach the golden shore. Of course he did not expect 

 to complete the journey in this fashion, but he rightly judged that at some one 

 of the "outfitting points" on the frontier he would not fail of getting the oppor- 

 tunity of procuring a passage in some manner. He trudged nearly the entire 

 width of Iowa on foot, and at Council Bluffs found the opportunity he sought 

 for arranging for a passage. He had to pay $90, after earning it, on getting 

 through. 



He spent the first winter west of Santa Rosa, near the Pocket Redwoods, 

 employed in teaming, farming, and chopping. 



The next summer he went to Nevada Territory, and spent five years there, 

 farming, chopping, mining, teaching, carpentering, and all manner of other 

 ways to make a living and accumulate a little wealth. Of course, he had to 

 have his little experience with dabbling in mining stock, and spent a good 

 share of his hard-earned dollars on wild-cat claims. A spell of hard times com- 

 ing on in the spring of 1866, and employment being scarce, he struck out after a 

 mining rush to Colombia, South America. The mines were about a town called 

 Barbucous, in the southern extremity of Colombia, and almost under the equa- 

 tor. Some very lucky finds were made in these mines, but he was not of the 

 fortunate ones, and, his money being gone, and health giving way in October, 

 1868, he turned again toward California, being obliged to beg his way back. 



He arrived in San Francisco in November, in time to take in the great 

 earthquake. Through the aid of a friend he reached San Jose, and, after recu- 

 perating a short time, got employment at carpenter work. In July, 1869, he 

 returned to Nevada, and struck carpenter work at Reno. 



The next year he taught school at Glendale, four miles below Reno, and in 

 the winter returned to Iowa. In May, 1871, he came to Marshall county, Kan- 

 sas, and located on a 100-acre lot of land which he had acquired while on the 

 Pacific coast. He built a little 12x14 shanty, and went to work making a farm, 

 teaching the district school during the winter. Early in 1874 he married, hav- 

 ing during this time "bached it." He applied himself so closely to his work 

 that for fifteen years he was not outside the limits of his county. The farm 

 was added to as opportunity favored, until now it embraces 560 acres. The 

 quality of the land and the value of the improvements are not surpassed by 

 any in the county. 



Having noted the changes demanded in the different farming processes by 

 the changes occurring in the environment, he became satisfied that there was 

 no profit in raising scrub stock; and after carefully studying the situation, he 

 concluded that the black-and-white breed of cattle was the one best adapted 

 to his circumstances. He decided to begin in a small way by grading up com- 

 mon stock, and, if that proved satisfactory, to venture more and start a herd of 

 registered cattle. In 1885 he purchased a bull of H. Langworthy, out of a herd 

 the latter was showing at Western fairs; and being pleased with the result of 

 the trial, he bought two cows and a male calf at T. B. Wales' dispersion sale in 

 Kansas City, September, 1887. 



In October, 1892, he bought most of the good things at Kirkpatrick & Sons' 

 dispersion sale at Connors, Kansas, and he now has a herd of about thirty-five 

 head. As he is still building up his herd, he has made no effort to attract pub- 

 lic attention; but in good time he expects to give a creditable account of it, 

 and in the meantime he remains a stanch supporter of the breed. 



MR. EDWARD ALEXANDER POWELL, the subject of this sketch, has been prom- 

 inently identified with the growth and development of the Holstein-Friesian 

 breed of cattle in America for many years, commencing when this breed was 

 comparatively little known in this country. 



He was born in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, January 27, 1838, on the 

 farm, now widely known as " Shadeland," which is noted for its fine stock. 

 His father, Hon. Ho well Powell, was one of the first breeders of pure Devon 

 cattle in the state and his earliest memory recalls a large herd of these beauti- 

 ful red cattle, the descendants of which are still on the farm. 



