Lily Flagg facts for kids
Signal's Lily Flagg (born 1884) was a very famous Jersey cow. She became known as the best butter producer in the world in 1892. Her owners, W. E. Matthews and General Samuel H. Moore, lived in Huntsville, Alabama.
During her record-breaking year, Lily Flagg weighed about 950 pounds (430 kg). She produced an amazing 1,047 pounds 3⁄4 ounce (474.93 kg) of butter! This was a huge amount for a cow at that time.
The Sydney Mail, a newspaper, wrote a lot about Lily Flagg. They said she was bred in Kentucky and was a purebred cow. Even though her name suggested she had a lot of "Signal" blood, she actually only had a little. The newspaper said her success showed how great the Jersey breed was.
Lily Flagg was eight years old during her big test. She was strong and healthy. She also had two daughters who were good butter producers, showing she could pass on her amazing qualities. She had given birth to eight calves, including one set of twins.
Only two cows were known to produce over half a ton (about 453 kg) of butter in a year: Bisson's Belle and Signal's Lily Flagg. This was a huge difference compared to the average cow, which might only produce 152 pounds [69 kg] of butter in a year.
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The Butter Champion Cup
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture looked back at the history of butter production records. For many years, a cow known as the Oakes cow held the record, producing over 400 pounds of butter in a year in the early 1800s.
Later, Jersey cows started breaking these records.
- First, a cow named Eurotas made a new record with 778 pounds 1 ounce (352.9 kg) of butter in a year.
- Then, Mary Ann of St. Lambert broke that record with 867 pounds 14+3⁄4 ounces (393.68 kg).
- A special challenge cup was offered for the next champion. Landseer's Fancy won it by producing 936 pounds 14+3⁄4 ounces (424.98 kg) of butter.
- After that, Eurotissima took the cup with 945 pounds 9 ounces (428.9 kg).
- Then, Bisson's Belle became the champion, making 1,028 pounds 15 ounces (466.7 kg).
- Finally, in 1892, Signal's Lily Flagg became the top champion. She produced 1,047 pounds 3⁄4 ounce (474.93 kg) of butter in a year, leading the list of famous Jersey cows!
However, the overall butter champion wasn't a Jersey cow. A Holstein-Friesian cow named Pauline Paul produced even more butter in 1890 and 1891. She made 1,153 pounds 15+3⁄4 ounces (523.44 kg) of butter from her milk.
Celebrating a Champion Cow
To celebrate Lily Flagg's amazing record and to give her owners the Jersey champion cup, a big party was held. The invitation asked people to come to a reception at the Monte Sano Hotel in Huntsville, Alabama. This party honored General S. H. Moore, W. E. Matthews, and others involved.
The Monte Sano Hotel was a fancy new place, built in 1887. Famous people like Helen Keller and members of the Vanderbilt family and Astor family had stayed there.
The celebrations didn't stop there! Three weeks later, owner Samuel Moore threw another huge party at his home. He even painted his house "butter yellow" for the occasion. He built a 50-foot dancing platform and arranged for some of the first electric lights in the Southeast to light up the party all night. People came from far away, even Baltimore, to join the celebration.
Lily Flagg at the World's Fair
Because Lily Flagg had won the Jersey champion cup, she was very famous. Many people wanted her calves, and she was invited to important events like the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, also known as the Chicago World's Fair.
Her trip to the fair was delayed because she got injured. But by October 1893, she made her appearance, making many dairy farmers very happy.
The Chicago Times newspaper reported on her visit. It said Lily Flagg was calmly chewing her cud, even though she was the world's champion Jersey cow and worth a lot of money. People looked at her with awe. One person wanted to see her legs, but the superintendent quickly stopped him.
The dairy cows at the fair were the best in the world. They were all purebred and had long family histories. They were treated like royalty, with their own caretakers who fed, groomed, and looked after them very carefully. Some keepers even slept next to their cows at night!
Special care was taken to make sure Lily Flagg and the other cows were not disturbed, especially during milking. Signs on the walls read things like: "Do not disturb the cows when lying down" and "Do not talk to the milkers."
While at the fair, Lily Flagg produced 29 lb 11 oz (13.5 kg) of butter in a seven-day test. Only one cow, Little Goldie, produced more butter during this test. Lily Flagg was so good that she was actually "barred from competition" at the fair. This meant she wasn't allowed to compete because everyone knew she was almost unbeatable.
At the fair, Lily Flagg was sold to C. I. Hood of Lowell, Massachusetts, for $1250. She joined his large farm with many other prize-winning Jersey cows.
Lily Flagg's Legacy
Lily Flagg grew up on the Monte Sano Dairy in Huntsville, Alabama. Her barn was on Dairy Lane. Even today, she is remembered in Huntsville. An area south of the city is called Lily Flagg Village. 34°39′18″N 86°33′59″W / 34.65489°N 86.56626°W
This area was once known for growing cotton. In the 1950s and 1960s, during the Space Race, many people moved to Huntsville. Lily Flagg Village became part of the city. Today, many places like a road, a neighborhood, and an apartment complex are named after the famous cow. There's even a local swim team called the Lily Flagg Cows, and a beer brewed in Huntsville called Lily Flagg Milk Stout.
A book has also been written that tells a fictional story about Lily Flagg and all the excitement around her.
Images for kids
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Lily Flagg was a Jersey cow
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Invitations encouraged townsfolk to celebrate the cow's prodigious butter production.
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"Many people who visit the stock exhibits at the World's Fair inquire for the '$15,000 Jersey beauty,'"]]
