162 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHEBON HORSE 



$3,300. The excellent character of the colts sired 

 by this stallion out of the small, nondescript mares 

 then common in northern Illinois, and the decidedly 

 greater value of the colts for work or sale (they 

 brought twice as much at the same age as any other 

 colts sired in the county) together with the fact that 

 very few such horses were in service convinced Mr. 

 Dunham that an excellent business opening was here 

 presented. He lacked means, but had the confidence 

 of his bankers, who financed his initial venture — 

 an importation of 6 stallions in 1872. He did so 

 well on these that he brought over 17 stallions and 

 4 mares in 1873, and steadily increased his importa- 

 tions in both stallions and mares, until by the end 

 of 1880 he had imported a total of 300 stallions and 

 75 mares. 



Home Breeding Emphasized. — From the very be- 

 ginning Mr. Dunham encouraged the breeding of 

 Percherons in America, as is amply attested by the 

 fact that he brought over 75 of the 152 mares im- 

 ported during the '70 's. The other 77 mares were 

 brought over by 17 different importers, the Dillons 

 bringing 18 and Daniel Dunham 17. 



Mignonette 584 (1447) was the best of the mares 

 imported at this time. She is described as "16% 

 hands high, weight over 2,000 pounds in fair order, 

 dapple-gray. ' ' She was six years old when imported 

 in 1876, was champion mare at the Centennial Expo- 

 sition at Philadelphia that year, and was a noted 

 winner in France prior to importation. She was 

 retained in the stud and was considered one of the 



