OF THE SADDLE AND SIRLOIN CLUB 121 
OVERLORD OF OAKLAWN 
43. The breaking of the boundless acres of the virgin prairies 
of the midwest, the hauling to market of its fertile rewards and 
the crowding traffic of the youthful cities of nineteenth century 
America developed a need for draft forces that eastern agricul- 
turists and eastern industries had failed to realize. The hardy 
light-boned horse that hitherto had served for labor, road and 
track, lacked the latent qualities to meet the situation, and in 
the early 50’s progressive American agriculturists brought from 
the older hemisphere the fundaments of a type more definitely 
adapted to the immediate necessity. 
Clearest visioned among the caterers to the new need was 
Mark WENtTworTH DunHamM of Oaklawn Farm some five miles 
south of Elgin, Illinois. Born June 22, 1842, he early saw the 
success of old Louis NAPoLEon and others of the pioneer French 
blood to reach this country, so in 1870 he acquired the mas- 
sively spread gray stallion with whitish mane, whose name Suc- 
cess was fortunate omen of his service to Oaklawn, and the sur- 
rounding country side. From this simple beginning, a rapidly 
growing business developed. The old brick house that had been 
pioneer home was transformed into an office and clerks busily 
clicked away at typewriters the year round in maintaining the 
records of the horses that passed through Oaklawn. 
Mr. DuNHaAM was a keen judge of equine needs and a student 
of equine type. A personal investigation extended over a num- 
ber of years convinced him that of all the horses of Frankish 
origin that came to his stables, those that came from the district 
of the old Perche were by all odds the best. The blood seemed 
to mix particularly well when crossed upon the light limbed 
mares spread over the corn country, and so successful were the 
half bloods that wherever a stallion once went another was 
demanded in its place. Mr. Dunuam’s keenness of judgment 
permitted him to recognize, while the horses were still in France 
