158 A HISTORY OF THE PEKCHERON HORSE 



horses of the Dragon and Conestoga stocks with 

 them, and the portion of the state where they settled 

 has ever since been within the best breeding ground 

 for draft horses in the west. 



It was into Tazewell county that tradition alleges 

 the very first stallions of draft blood brought to Illi- 

 nois were taken about 1835. It was into that same 

 county that Samson was imported in 1843, and it 

 was there again that Louis Napoleon made the " hit " 

 that paved the way for all that has since transpired 

 in this great branch of American animal husbandry. 



