274 THE PORTRAIT GALLERY 
A MIGHTY MISSOURIAN 
107. For over eighty years the name of Ravenswood Farm 
has dominated the Shorthorn interests of the state of Missouri. 
The acreage itself was acquired in 1825 by NATHANIEL LEONARD, 
father of CapTAIn CHARLES E. LEONARD, the director of the 
farm for over a half century. The original purchase of Short- 
horns was made from Grorce Renick of Kentucky, the year 
Captain LEONARD was born, and included the six hundred dollar 
white bull Comet Star, and the five hundred dollar red heifer 
Queen. 
Capt. LEONARD was born on Ravenswood itself, within a few 
miles of the present town of Bunceton. After a course in the 
Kemper School at Boonville he pursued studies at the Univer- 
sity of Missouri. Following his graduation he returned to the 
home farm, evincing an active interest in agricultural affairs. 
Following his marriage October 22, 1872, to Miss Napine N. 
NELSON of a prominent family of bankers, he settled to Short- 
horn promotion with a will. Under his direction, the entire 
twenty-two hundred acres were utilized for the support of 
Shorthorns, and many notable additions were made to the herd. 
At the historic New York Mills sale in 1873, three imported 
heifers were purchased, Charming Rose, Rosamond 8th, and 
Rosette, an average of $4,000 being paid for them. The success 
of the Scottish tribes in the hands of Cot. Harris, made Capt. 
LEONARD an ardent supporter of the northern sort. He secured 
Barbarosa from SENATOR Harris, at $1,000, and in the early 
part of the twentieth century acquired the Lockridge-bred (112) 
show bull, Lavender Viscount. His greatest breeding achieve- 
ment lay in the production of the dam of Americus, that sold 
in the Argentine in 1908 for $38,000 gold. 
Capt. LEonarRD was a notable judge of men and placed com- 
plete confidence in those he charged with responsibility. He 
afforded freest opportunity for his herd manager, Mr. Ep Pat- 
