09/01/2021
I gaze out my window on a rainy day and see three beautiful Black horned Irish Dexter cows, Juno, Flora and Faye grazing on the lush Spring grass in the Lone Star State. I wonder what it was like when their ancestors grazed just outside of Dallas in a little hamlet known as Argyle. Their ancestors were the foundation for a line of Irish Dexter cattle that 50 years later would be known as the Legacy “Colorado” line and I am intrigued that these wonderful cows have made an interesting journey back to Texas.
“Mark and Marge (Davis) were living in Colorado when they first read about little cows known as Irish Dexters. Mark borrowed a trailer and traveled to Argyle, Texas to purchase his first cow and calf and a 14-month old heifer. 'The cow was milking, but she was very wild", he said with a chuckle. "A rancher friend of ours taught me to milk." The couple later purchased a herd bull from Decorah, Iowa and in 1966 they and 5 Irish Dexter cows moved to Delaware. Mark Davis is Immediate Past President of the American Dexter Cattle Association.”
The oldest Colorado cow owned by Mark and Marge Davis listed in our wonderful resource Legacy Irish Dexter Registry is Colorado Queen (circa 1967). She goes back to Lady Knight who was bred by Dr. Harvey Goettsche in Dallas, Texas and Edmonde LeRoux, Argyle, Texas. Dr. Goettsche, was a well-known dentist who enjoyed the ranching life as a hobby. His partner Edmond LeRoux, had a beautiful ranch in Argyle, Texas and was a retired American Airline pilot with an impressive history of helping U.S. troops fly to destinations including the Far East, Japan, Australia and more with the Military Airlift Command and American Airlines.
Lady Knight has awesome ancestors who are beloved in our Irish Dexter community including Grinstead and Peerless. She is also the dam of the well-known bull Colorado Chief whose sire was an Irish Dexter bull Mark Davis went to Iowa to and brought back to Colorado. Marge Davis shared this in a lovely phone conversation a few weeks ago. She shared with me the wonderful journey that has become the foundation for the Colorado herd.
Since we have explored how Lady Knight and her heifer left Argyle, Texas and became the foundation of the wonderful Colorado herd let’s go back and explore how Irish Dexter cattle came to be found in Texas. Lady Knight was the progeny of a nice bull registered as Captain Fortune and bred by Otto C. Jensen. Captain Fortune’s ancestors were direct registered cattle from the Peerless herd. “The foundation for the Peerless herd at Decorah, Iowa, was obtained by John Logsdon from the Elmendorf Farm, August A. Busch and James J. Hill, in 1919. Later, two bulls were obtained successively from Daniel Guggenheim, owner of Hempstead House herd. In 1944, when the Peerless herd had their first public sale, the herd numbered 150 head of cows and heifers. Peerless herd is the oldest Dexter herd in the United States. “ (Remember the Busch name as we continue this journey through history.)
With the tireless work Judy Sponaugle who has put together a researcher's dream in creating the Legacy Irish Dexter Registry. Within a few short strokes on my keyboard and quality internet connection I am able to see that Lady Knight’s dam was the beautiful Black Duchess who was born in 1958. Edward Lord bred her with Atlantic Cornelius as her sire and Framfield Roda 7th as her dam. Both of Lady Knight’s parents were registered in the Dexter Cattle Society (DCS) founded in the United Kingdom. Both Atlantic and Framfield’s dams were the well-loved Grinstead dams and going back till the beginning of the DCS (Dexter Cattle Society) conception circa 1892.
Back in the Lone Star state we find a handsome Black Bull named Mark Anthony. His parents are Black Duchess and Atlantic Cornelius. According to registration documents his owner and breeder a well know colorful character in the history of Texas, Clint Murchison. In my search I have found little documentation about Irish Dexters but it was well known that Mr. Murchison loved ranching. Ernestine Orrick Van Buren points out in her book Clint: Clinton Williams Murchison: A Biography : "In the late 1930s Murchison began diversifying his investments. He acquired numerous life-insurance companies, banks, bus lines, publishing firms, heavy industrial building materials companies, and an assortment of companies serving such leisure activities as hunting, fishing, travel, and gardening. He was a cattleman throughout his life and acquired extensive ranches in Mexico and East Texas. He experimented in improving cattle strains and in developing superior grazing grasses."
Yes, millionaires loved our Irish Dexters, too! Speaking of millionaires let’s go back and visit the Anheuser Busch family and their involvement in Irish Dexter cattle and Texas. I ran across a 1916 newspaper article from Waco, Texas where 14 Irish Dexters belonging to Anheuser Busch Dexter Cattle. The cattle was transported via train to show their exhibit known the Bevo during a “tick” quarantine. The event appears to have been hugely popular. (See exhibit) We do know from well-kept records that “In 1914, August A. Busch of St. Louis, Missouri purchased Dexters from C.D. Gregg of St. Louis and established the Grant’s Farm Herd. Additional animals were purchased by August Busch in 1915 from Elmendorf Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. The Elmendorf Herd was dispersed in 1917.” Perhaps a few of these wonderful cows stayed in Texas.
The Colorado herd of Irish Dexter cattle that Mark and Marge Davis created has an amazing history and enjoyed passage with many friends they encountered along the way. I feel fortunate to be friends with those who continue this line of Irish Dexters including Judy Sponaugle, The Mendenhalls, Lori Goldman, Maple Creek farm and several others. I am proud to have Juno, Flora and Faye in our herd and welcome them back to the Lone Star state where their ancestors once roamed.
Angie Gaines
Fitz's Golden Dexters
