D. W. HEATH
One of Peabody's Most Extensive Farmers and Cattle Feeders

Transcribed from the 19 June 1901 edition of the Peabody News by:
Charmaine Keith (charmain@southwind.net) 09 October 1998

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PEABODY NEWS
1901

	D. W. Heath, who owns the farm shown above, is a very modest, unassuming gentleman 
of rather a scholarly turn, who does not care for notoriety. He only consented to give us 
the following particulars because he felt that it was due Peabody and Kansas in general to 
make proper acknowledgment of the opportunities afforded and riches contained in the soil of 
Kansas Land.

	Mr. Heath came here thirteen years ago from Urbana, Champaign County Ohio, in very 
limited circumstances. He had enough money to make a first payment on a quarter section of 
unimproved land seven miles south of Peabody, which he bought from J. M. Bechtel, and 
stocked with a few cattle and hogs. He then set to work with his own hands and improved it. 
Orchards were planted, shade trees set out, barns and houses were built by his own efforts. 
As fast as he could afford it he erected substantial dwelling on his farms, and as the 
demands of his cattle feeding for adequate facilities grew, put up the large elevator shown 
in the above picture. This elevator has a storage capacity of 60,000 bushels of grain. It is
equipped with a 22 horse power gasoline engine, and a Bowsher grinder. In it he grinds all 
his feed for his cattle. The building is substantially built and conveniently arranged in 
every detail after plans conceived and drawn by Mr. Heath personally. The residence shown is 
one of the best farm residences in this vicinity.

	In all of his improvements Mr. Heath kept strictly within his means and made it a 
rule never to buy anything until he had the money to pay for it. As a consequence what he 
owns is clear and he owes no man a dollar on it.

	In Ohio Mr. Heath's father was a cattle raiser and farmer, and D. W. was brought up 
in the business. When he came to Kansas and settled on his farm, which lies just over the 
line in Butler county, he continued in the cattle business, his experience enabling him to 
conduct it successfully here as in Ohio. As his cattle business grew he bought land to 
accommodate them and now owns, free and unencumbered 1,120 acres of fine land, 800 acres of 
which he farms. Beside this, in 1889, he leased 1,200 acres of Lord Scully, which lies near 
by and farms 600 acres of that also. These two tracts of land give him 1,400 acres of 
farming and 920 acres of pasture. On each quarter section is a tenant house supplied with a 
good orchard, barn, well, and all improvements to make a desirable home for his renter.

	Mr. Heath raises feed only for his own use. He sells none, but buys thousands of 
bushels of grain every year beside. All of his corn, oats, and Kaffir corn are ground up in 
the elevator to feed to his cattle, of which he fattens annually 1,00 to 1,200 head.

	Mr. Heath's plan has been to buy matured cattle in the fall, feed through the winter 
on sorghum, millet and alfalfa hay and turn to pasture in spring. About the first of July he 
begins to grain them while still on grass and later to full feed them, and by the first of 
December they are ready for the Kansas City or Chicago markets, where he ships direct. His 
cattle farm lies just two miles, east of Elbing, on a C., R. I. And P., making it very handy 
for him to ship either in or out.

	When asked as to his plan of feeding cattle, Mr. Heath said; "The business is one 
that requires study and experience. You cannot make a successful cattle feeder on paper. 
There is not rule to go by as to amount or character of feed to give an animal to produce 
the best results. That must be determined by observation and experience. Two bunches of 
cattle may look just alike to the unexperienced eye, but be vastly different in feeding 
results. The trained eye of the experienced cattle feeder will pick out the one that is 
subject to the greatest improvement, and he can accurately estimate just what certain 
handing will do for them in six months or a year's time. There are probably more successful 
cattle feeders in Marion County than any county in the state. Peabody has a record of 
turning out more fat cattle than any town in Kansas."

	"There is one thing I do, which probably no other farmer feeder does; Every feed 
that is given the cattle is weighed and apportioned out by a schedule of so much per head, 
twice a day, which varies with the different stages of feeding. I have made this a practice 
for three years and believe it gives best results."

	Last summer Mr. Heath built a magnificent residence in Peabody, a Picture of which 
is shown on opposite page, and moved to town with his family to reside. Mr. Heath and wife 
have no children of their own, but are raising a nephew, Vernon, the only son of Mr. Heath's 
brother, James W. Heath, was killed by lightning thirteen years ago. This residence is said 
to be the finest in the county. 

	Mr. Heath, though but 39 years of age. Has not been in rugged health for some years 
and has been forced to give up active work on the farm, but personally supervises all that 
is done. He has a telephone line from the house to the farm, and every morning and evening 
has a talk with his manager in regard to the work to be done. Then about twice a week he 
drives out to inspect the cattle and fields. He declines to mention what his income is per 
year, but we suspect it us a trifle more than ours as editor of the News. He spends a great 
deal of time beautifying and improving his residence and lawn here in town, which with his 
educational interest and duties as president of the Peabody State Bank, occupy his time 
fully.


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