Sanders: Guernsey Club helped establish Cape County's dairy industry

In August 1924, the Southeast Missourian announced on its front page that “one of the largest” dairy stock sales was to be held at Fairground Park in a two-day event in October. Offered for sale would be the cattle produced by the Egypt Mills-Cape Girardeau Guernsey Club in the five years of its existence.

The club had its start in 1919. Two years before that, a small group of farmers and businessmen representing the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce traveled to Wisconsin, where they were introduced to a thriving dairy industry. Up until then, Cape Girardeau County was not known for its dairies.

The men who traveled to Wisconsin purchased several pure-bred Guernsey cattle. Another group went north the following year, and the idea of starting dairy herds in Cape County was born.

An Aug. 10, 1922, article in the Missourian by Samuel M. Carter, an officer of the Southeast Missouri Trust Co. and a stockholder in the Guernsey Club, explained how dairying was established in the county:

“The first definite step was the organization of a calf club to be composed of imported Guernsey calves. No definite number was determined upon, but the idea grew until 45 calves were ordered direct from the Island of Guernsey (in the English Channel), in January 1919. This was at that time, and is still, the largest calf club in the United States, of imported calves.

“These calves have all done remarkably well for their owners and every year since 1919 some of them have been at the head of the classes in which they competed at our county fair, and likewise have been grand champions each year since then.

“While the calf club was being organized, the Egypt Mills Guernsey Club was also organized. Forty-two cows were placed with farmers and a herd bull purchased. A corporation was formed with a capital of $20,000 and stock sold in order to secure money to purchase these cattle. When the stock of the corporation was sold, a purchasing committee was appointed to secure the cattle for the club, and also the club voted to send each farmer who was to take a cow with the committee and to pay the railroad fare of the farmer, he to pay his other expenses.

“This trip was made in May 1919, and the committee failed to secure as many native Guernseys as they wanted and, to finish out the club, purchased 19 imported bred heifers, then on the ocean between Guernsey Island and New York. These 19 bred heifers and the calves for the calf club were on the same ship and were brought from quarantine in New Jersey to Cape Girardeau on the same train on July 1, 1919, making 64 head of imported Guernseys delivered here in one shipment.

“The committee’s greatest good fortune was in the purchase of the herd bull for the club, Eminent of Sarnia, 32963. His record was not made at that time, but they saw in the barn of B.F. Sheridan, of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, such a wonderful lot of daughters that it was then determined to purchase the sire. Mr. Sheridan had sold Eminent at that time, but he was still in the community and was purchased …

“There is no way of calculating this bull’s value to this section.

“Cape Girardeau is now the Guernsey center in Missouri.” (Aug. 19, 1922, The Southeast Missourian)

In addition to Guernseys, a Holstein club was formed as well. Cape County also saw farmers investing in Jerseys and Ayrshires. By the fall of 1924, the county was home to more than 1,000 pure-bred dairy cattle.

When the Guernsey Club was organized in 1919, it was agreed that five years later the cattle owned by the club would be auctioned off. That amounted to 196 head, valued at $40,000. Guernsey expert and breeder Charles L. Hill of Rosendale, Wisconsin, was brought in to organize the sale. Auctioneer was Walter Andrews of Beach City, Ohio.

The final tally from the sale was $28,495 for nearly 200 head of cattle. A final report on the club’s profitability wasn’t immediately available after the sale, but there were a few financial items listed in a followup article published Oct. 9, 1924, as organization of a new Guernsey club was being considered: “The (1919) club has $17,300 paid up stock, has $3,000 indebtedness, and in addition to this the expense of the sale, which is not expected to run over $2,000. Against these liabilities, the club has the proceeds of the sale, less what money must goes back to the farmer-members for the interest they held in the stock …”

The Missourian wrote about every phase of the two-day sale, including listing each animal sold, its price and who purchased it.

Published Oct. 3, 1924, in the Southeast Missourian:

Guernseys bring good price at big dispersal sale here

With spirited bidding in evidence the dispersal sale of the Egypt Mills Guernsey Club, owners of nearly 200 head of Cape Girardeau County’s finest dairy calve, was underway under a large tent at Fairground Park today. On an elevated stage of a roped arena, and while more than 500 spectators, representing dairymen from all parts of the Middle West, looked on, the cattle were auctioned off to the highest bidder.

Thirty-seven head had been placed in the ring by noon today, and and brought a total of $7,805, a fair price for the stock. If the bidding for the remainder is win the same ratio, members of the club believe that the stock will bring nearly $40,000. It was believed at noon that nearly 100 head of the cattle would be sold before nightfall, leaving the remainder to be sold on Wednesday.

Included in the list of purchasers at the forenoon session were buyers from several points in the Middle West, and Cape Girardeau and Egypt Mills members of the club. Other buyers are reported to have arrived at noon.

Buys herd sire

Eminent of Sarnia, the 10-year-old herd sire of the Egypt Mills club, was sold at the forenoon session to I. Ben Miller, local Guernsey breeder and member of the club. The purchase price was $490. The animal, while the oldest of the lot, was agreed to be of the finest appearing animal in the ring.

However, the best price of the forenoon sales went for Bonnie Salines, a fine cow, which brought $555 and was sold to Mr. Miller. Bonnie Salines is 5 years old.

Miller’s purchases

Mr. Miller’s purchases at the sale at the forenoon session totaled $2,415. Other stock that he purchased included:

Bonnie Salines X, $460.

Patricia of Egypt Mills, $300.

Shelia of Egypt Mills, $215.

Dolly of Egypt Mills, $200.

Duchess of Egypt Mills, $195.

A.H. Mueller and Sam L. Carter, who operate a Guernsey dairy farm south of Cape Girardeau, purchased three head of cattle at the opening of the sale for a price of $670. They bought:

Peggy of Egypt Mills, $270.

Jennie of Egypt Mills, $250.

Beatrice of Egypt Mills, $150.

David Bell, a dairy breeder of Shelbyville, Kentucky, made purchases totaling $1,610. His purchases were:

Virginia of Egypt Mills, $230.

Matilda of Egypt Mills, $225.

Florrie of Egypt Mills, $200.

Lady Preel Milkmaid, $150.

Margaret of Egypt Mills, $125.

Duchess of May of Sarina, $160.

Imogene of Egypt Mills, $110.

Club member buys five

J.D. Rubel of Egypt Mills, a club member, bought five head at a total price of $700. His purchases were:

Ruby of Egypt Mills, $120.

Charms May of Egypt Mills, $200.

Rebecca of Egypt Mills, $150.

Starlight of Egypt Mills, $100.

Isabelle of Egypt Mills, $200.

Other purchases

Other purchases were:

Darling of Egypt Mills, $300, J.C. Ganahl, St. Louis.

Ida Dew Drop of Egypt Mills, $220, J.C. Ganahl, St. Louis.

Mistress of Egypt Mills, $125, J.C. Ganahl, St. Louis.

Ada of Egypt Mills, $180, J.C. Ganahl, St. Louis.

Yellow Bird of Egypt Mills, $75, Ernest A. Gebhard, Palmyra.

Columbine of Egypt Mills, $95, G.H. Griswold, Plymouth, Illinois.

Dorothy Belle of Egypt Mills, $325, Herbert Lange, Egypt Mils.

Juno of Egypt Mills, $100, Edward Robb, Perryville.

Spot of Egypt Mills, $140, J.F. Steger, Egypt Mills.

Countess of Egypt Mills, $70, C.W. Weiss, Cape Girardeau.

My Fancy of Egypt Mills, $230, J.S. Baker.

Amy of Egypt Mills, $290, Chicago Guernsey Farm, Hinsdale, Illinois.

Sunbeam Princess of Egypt Mills, $150, Ben Exler, Egypt Mills.

Walter Andrews of Beach City, Ohio, is the auctioneer for the sale, and his work is being praised by club members as the best seen here.

Col. Charles L. Hill of Rosendale, Wisconsin, is manager of the sale.

Read the rest of this blog at www.semissourian.com/blogs/fromthemorgue.

Sharon Sanders is the librarian at the Southeast Missourian.