374 A HISTORY OF THE PEECHEEON HOESE 



portions. He was first in aged class at the Colum- 

 bian Exposition in 1893 for Oaklawn Farm, from 

 which he was purchased. He continued in service 

 throughout this period and eventually succeeded 

 Niger as the head of the stud. The use of these good 

 sires, with others almost as good, but less important, 

 gave the Minnesota Percheron Horse Co. some very 

 good Percherons, and it is much to be regretted that 

 the stud was dispersed about the beginning of 

 the century. The Paynes, who controlled this great 

 stud, had other business interests which finally led 

 them to close out their Percherons, but the Percheron 

 breeders of the northwest owe them a substantial 

 debt for their steadiness and constructive work dur- 

 ing a most discouraging period. 



L. C. Hodgson was another who began in the '80 's 

 and held on throughout all the lean years. He was 

 originally from Ottawa, 111., a cousin of the Dillons, 

 and bought his foundation stock of 3 mares from 

 Adolphus Dillon in 1884. He removed to Minnesota 

 in 1886, taking his Percherons and adding more from 

 time to time. The business subsequently passed to 

 the sons, now Hodgson Bros., of St. Cloud, Minn., 

 so that this stud has been carried on through two 

 generations. Sonora 1636 and Marie Keet 1608, two 

 of Mr. Hodgson's foundation mares, were probably 

 the most profitable he ever owned. Both were reg- 

 ular producers of good stock. Marie Keet produced 

 Norman Chief 12516, foaled in 1884, to the service 

 of French Victor 6088 (6125), then at the head of E. 

 Hodgson's stud at Ottawa. Norman Chief was a 



