Barber County Kansas

Medicine Lodge Cresset, March 2, 1900.

T.B. Stockstill

There is no one thing more encouraging to the future of the stock interests of Barber county, than the tendency towards the improvements of their herds by our local cattlemen, through the introduction of purer bred males for breeding purposes.

It costs very little, if any more, to grow a Herford, Galloway or Shorthorn steer than a Texas longhorn, while in value they are not even comparable. Perhaps there was no man in the county earlier to perceive and encourage this tendency than T.B. Stockstill, of Sharon township. Mr. Stockstill is nothing if not practical and he at once determined to give the movement an impetus by the force of his own example, and he was the first to introduce pure blooded red Shorthorn Durhams into use and favor in this county. Since that time he has devoted himself to the raising and care of thoroughbred cattle of this particular breed and made it a pronounced success. He now has one of the best, if not the best, herds in the state. At the head of this her of fifty cows and heifers is the registered red bull Double Ury 127664, whose sire and mother were brought direct from Cruickshank and imported to this country by Thos. H. Martin, of Kansas City, Mo. Double Ury was sired by Baron Ury 1180024, out of Butterfly 60th, sired by Prime Minister 94315, imported. His ancestry goes back to Diamond 205. Butterfly 60th was a grand-daughter of Imported Butterfly 43 by the famous Royal Duke of Gloster [sic].

In Mr. Stockstill's herd are: Imported cow Young Mary, got by Grand Victor 2nd; Imported Harriett by Scotch Minister 117294; Young Phyllis by Scotch Minister; Imported Goodness by Scotch Minister and Chesterford by Jusius 116099. This is but a brief summary of the blood and lineage of the stock from which he breeds, but it is sufficient to show that they are of the purest and bet. In addition to these, he has 12 head of the Brittany family by different sires.

He also breeds Poland China, Duroe Jersey Red Swine, registered, and easily disposes of the pigs at a satisfactory price.

Mr. Stockstill's farm and home is in the Sharon valley nine miles from Medicine Lodge and three miles from the village of Sharon, where he has lived for 21 years. His residence is a commodious farm house, his stock barns and out buildings are constructed to serve the particular purpose for which they were intended. He has a fine orchard bearing fruits of all varieties and all things about his farm are indicative of a wise foresight and personal attention. He is in the fullest sense of the term the architect of his own fortune and is said to be one of the wealthiest men in the county. But far above this stands his character for strict integrity and truthfulness which has never yet been questioned.

(See: "Sad Intelligence" (The Murder of Troy Stockstill), from the Medicine Lodge Cresset, 17 July 1879.)


Also see:

Confederate Veterans Meeting, 1892, Barber County Index, May 16, 1892


Thanks to Ellen (Knowles) Bisson for finding, transcribing and contributing the above Medicine Lodge Cresset article to this web site!

It is one of a series of articles published together on 2 March 1900 under the title of Barber County Profiles: Men Who Have Taken a Prominent Part in Developing the Stock Industry in Barber County.




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