io6 



THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



The introduction of the Percheron to the United States dates 

 back many years. French horses were brought to America as 

 long ago as 1816, when a staUion was taken to Quebec and later 

 sold to go to Washington County, New York. It has been as- 

 sumed that this was a Norman horse. In 1839 the first "genu- 

 ine" Percheron importation to America was brought over by 

 Edward Harris to Moorestown," New Jersey. This importation 

 consisted of one stalUon and two mares. The stallion died at 

 sea, and the mares were unfortunate, one landing in poor 

 health, while the other injured herself in car shipment, necessi- 

 tating killing. Mr. Harris at once returned to France and 



imported the stallions Dili- 

 gence and Bonaparte, with 

 several mares. These were 

 the smaller type of Percheron, 

 standing about 15 hands high 

 and weighing 1200 to 1500 

 pounds. Diligence, who died 

 in i860, was regarded as a 

 fine specimen of the breed. 



An important half century 

 of Percheron history ip the 

 United States began in 1 8 5 1 . 

 At this time Fullington and 

 Martin, of Milford Center, Ohio, brought to that state the first 

 importation to the West, the gray colt Louis Napoleon. He was 

 15^ hands high and weighed 1600 pounds. In 1856 A. P. Cush- 

 man of Illinois purchased him. Louis Napoleon proved to be a 

 great breeder, and was no doubt one of the very best draft horses 

 ever brought to America. It has been estimated that over 400 

 of his sons were successful stallions. In 185 1 another importa- 

 tion was also brought to Ohio by Dr. Marcus Brown of Circle- 

 ville. He imported a stallion named Normandy, often referred to 

 as "Pleasant Valley Bill," "Old Bill," or "The Valley Horse." 

 He stood 1 5i hands high and weighed about 1 500 pounds, and it is 

 said that for eighteen years he averaged about sixty colts a year. 

 Also the same year Captain Samuel Holmes, of Chester Springs, 

 Pennsylvania, brought two stallions from France, and following 



Fig, 39. Tenebreuse. A Percheron mare 

 owned in France. Photograph by James 

 B. McLaughlin, Columbus, Ohio 



