OTHEE PROMINENT FIGURES OF THE PERIOD 335 



courage which led him to buy some excellent stal- 

 lions and mares and for his aggressive championship 

 of the Percheron cause at a time when the breed was 

 practically unknown to Kansas farmers. Some of his 

 best work came later, and will be taken up in due 

 course. 



0. L. Thisler, Chapman, Kans., began in 1884 by 

 purchasing some stock from W. L. EUwood, with 

 whom he continued to deal for a number of years. 

 He was more of a dealer than a breeder, however, 

 and bred but 16 head up to 1890. 



William A. Pierce came nearly being the first Per- 

 cheron breeder in Kansas; he purchased in 1880 a 

 stallion and mare which had been imported in 1878 

 by Chas. "W. Pierce of Boston. The horses were 

 taken to his farm at Maple Hill, where he continued 

 the business in a modest way, without making any 

 particular effort to expand his operations in this 

 direction. 



There were 16 Kansas breeders other than those 

 already discussed, but most of them did not start 

 until 1886 or 1887 and their work was only well 

 started at the close of this epoch. 



In Missouri. — Ethan Allen Hitchcock and William 

 B. Collier of St. Louis, A. F. McKee of Browning and 

 D. Braymer of Braymer were the leaders among the 

 18 breeders located in Missouri during this epoch. 



Mr. Hitchcock was a wealthy manufacturer and 

 business man of St. Louis. He was splendidly edu- 

 cated and one of the most cultured gentlemen ever 

 engaged in Percheron breeding. He bought his 



