162 [Assembly 



" 1799, May 18— Mr. De Witt, To Samuel Bard, Dr. 



To I part of X60, paid by S. Bard to Mr. Peacock, for 



the use of his bull, £lb 



To I of 56s. paid by S. Bard, for the passage and ex- 

 penses of the bull from and to New- York, 14 



Rec'd in full, 



Samuel Bard." 



This bull was in Dutchess Co., I think as early as 1797 or 1798. 

 In one of those years my father purchased a full blood bull calf 

 about six weeks old, from Mr. Peacock, for which he paid him 

 |50, and thus secured | blood. My cousin, Levi Van Vliet, who 

 has always resided in Dutchess Co., within two miles of the farm 

 and mills formerly owned by my father, well recollects the in- 

 troduction of the breed by the bull " Sampson," and the calf 

 " Julius," and while on a visit to me this month, informed me 

 that the descendants of these two animals in Dutchess Co. are 

 yet distinguishable. It may be observed that the gentlemen who 

 hired Mr. Peacock's bull, had for several years paid particular 

 attention to the selection and breed of cattle, and were possessed 

 of stocks of superior native cows. 



In 1803 my father purchased of Mr. Peacock a lamb, for which 

 he paid him $20, and although the stock of sheep in Dutchess 

 Co. were generally very fine, yet the best of native lambs could 

 then be purchased for |1.50. Mr. Peacock's receipt for the price 

 paid for the lamb, is as follows : 



" Received of John De Witt, twenty dollars, in full for a lamb 

 sold him. Dec. 5, 1803. Alex'r Peacock." 



Yours truly, 



PETER DE WITT. 



