AIS-Uncastar Farming, Saturday, July 12,1986
Maryland Dairy Shrine Serves as a Gallery of Greats
BY SHARON B. SCHUSTER
Maryland Correspondent
FREDERICK, Md. Enter the
Maryland Dairy Shrine in
Frederick County, Maryland, and
come face to face with some of
the most influential people and
cattle that have made important
contributions to the development
of the dairy industry. The walls of
the shrine serve as a gallery for
photographic portraits of dairy’s
distinguished notables.
Patterned after a similar
organization on the national level,
headquartered in Fork Atkins,
Wisconsin, the shrine was
established by The Maryland
Purebred Cattle Association in
1963.
The austere faces of 11
“Pioneers” and 28 “Con
temporaries” fill the wall space
that is not covered by plaques,
trophy cases and banners.
Secretary of the association, Ted
Ridgely, explained that honorees
are classified as “Pioneers” if they
have been deceased for 10 years or
more. “Contemporaries” are
living recipients of the recognition.
Nominations made by in
dividuals are submitted to an
anonymous committee for review.
The committee, appointed by the
president, meets once every year
to select an honoree. Nominations
remain in the files for yearly
review for 10 years.
Secretary for the first 15 years,
and now consultant, John Morris,
said the organization exists to
“preserve the dairy history of
Maryland.” The room is located in
the offices of Sire Power. “They
were very generous to let us have
this space,” said Morris of the AI
company.
Morris and Ridgely met with
other officers of the organization,
Jacob Fussell:
Father of the Ice Cream Business
BY SHARON B. SCHUSTER
Maryland Correspondent
FREDERICK, Md. - Ice
Cream Day is just a lick and a
promise away. That cool,
refreshing dairy delight has
an interesting history as well.
Delving into the archives of
the Maryland Dairy Shrine in
Frederick, Maryland, reveals
the “Father of the Wholesale
A portrait of Jacob Fussell, “Father of the Ice Cream
Business," hangs in the Maryland Dairy Shrine located in
Frederick, Md.
President William Powel, Vice
President Jim Hill and Treasurer
Jack Remsberg, at the semi
annual board meeting.
Gathered around the hand
crafted walnut conference table,
they discussed business matters
and started refining a slide-tape
presentation about the Maryland
Dairy Shrine that they will make
available to schools and other
organizations. The half hour show
will introduce the public to the
shrine’s wealth of dairy related
information.
Housed in the shrine room are
volumes of citations and
biographical materials that ac
company the honorees’ portraits.
Leafing through the pages of bios
reveals such notables as Elmer
McCollum (Pioneer), who
discovered vitamins A, B and D.
Referred to as the “father of
nutrition,” Dr. McCollum was
professor emeritus at Johns
Hopkins University School of
Hygiene and Public Health.
In his company is the Con
temporary, Howard Barker. His
biographical entry states, “As
George Washington became the
father of his country and Henry
Ford the progenitor of modern
industrial efficiency, Howard C.
Barker firmly established himself
as the real fire under the Maryland
Holstein Association kettle.”
And, there is Isaac Wallace
Heaps (Pioneer), who established
several national firsts in the dairy
industry. Under his leadership, the
Maryland Cooperative Milk
Producers, Inc., became the first
organization to establish a base
surplus plan of milk marketing. He
also developed the plan of selling
milk to dairies on a classified
basis.
Contemporary, Paul B. Misner,
Ice Cream Business,” Jacob
Fussell. Honored as a
“Pioneer” at the Shrine,
Fussell developed the first ice
cream business on the
wholesale basis.
Bom in 1819 in Hartford
County, Pennsylvania, Fussell
conducted a milk business in
Baltimore of four routes, “a
fair sized concern in those
Seated around the handcrafted walnut conference table in the Maryland Dairy Shrine
are (left), John Morris, consultant; William Powel, president; Jim Hill, vice president;
Jack Remsberg, treasurer; and Ted Ridgely, secretary. They are flanked by the pioneers
and contemporaries who have shaped the dairy industry. The small model cow is a 1923
representation of a "true-type Holstein-Friesian Cow."
“a deep student of pedigrees,
developed one of the most im
portant seed stock herds at his
Dunloggin Farm, and used the
cattle there to experiment with
vaccinations which led to today’s
freeder from brucellosis.
Also noted is McKendree Walker
(Pioneer), who was the first in
Montgomery County Maryland to
grow alfalfa when it was then
called Lucerne.
The pages of interesting bios go
on and on, with each one as in
teresting as the last. Ridgely said
days,” according to his bio.
The milk came down on the
Northern Central railway
from York County, from “the
sturdy Pennsylvania Dutch
farmers.”
The account continues. A
few customers wanted cream,
but the demand was in
termittent, and the supply was
unreliable. The question arose
as to how to dispose of surplus
cream when the supply ex
ceeded the demand.
Fussell determined that if
the surplus were made into ice
cream, it could easily be
disposed of at small profit.
The idea led to the develop
ment of the first wholesale ice
cream business.
A plaque in recognition of
his accomplishments was
placed at the site of Fussell’s
first plant on the comer of
Hillen and Exeter Streets in
Baltimore, Maryland. The
plaque bears the following
inscription:
Birthplace of the Ice Cream
Industry
1851
On this site Jacob Fussell in
1851 established the first
wholesale ice cream factory in
the world. This was the
foundation of a major
American industry devoted to
the production of one of the
most wholesome, nutritious
and popular foods.
Three generations of the
Fussells entered into the ice
cream business and
established plants in New
York and Virginia. At the time
of his enshrinement as a
Pioneer in 1969, ice cream was
still being sold under the
F ussell name.
that the volume of biographies,
pictorial records of national
judging teams since 1920, pictures
of dairy cattle with outstanding
production, all the grand cham
pions of all breeds since 1930,
trophies, banners, and
memorabilia are open for “in
spection and enjoyment” from 8 to
4:30, Monday through Friday.
Sipping either white or chocolate
milk, the board members stated
what is the main purpose of their
efforts. “People have a great
concern for preserving the history
of the Maryland dairy industry,
whether it be production or
technology 1 .”
Upon inspection of the mem*
Jubilee Sale Averages $1,726
BY NANCY KUNICK
Crawford Co. Correspondent
WATERFORD Independence
Day was celebrated many ways
this year; family picnics, local
festivals, fireworks, and by at
tending cattle sales. In Erie
County, a few hundred breeders
turned out for an ox roast followed
by the third annual July Jubilee
Holstein Sale.
Thirty-four head of registered
Holsteins celebrated Independence
Day by garnering a $1,726 sale
average. The top selling animal,
Rather Sweet Grace, claimed the
high price of $5,200. She was
purchased by Michael Gillis who
travelled from Argyle, N.Y., with
Dr. Kurt Lutgens and Dr. Joe Cali
with plans to take “Grace” home.
“Grace” is a Sweet-Haven
Tradition daughter and her dam
has a top record of 26,890 pounds of
Buyers Dr. Kurt Lutgens (left), Or. Joe Cali and Michael
Gillis, all of Argyle, N.Y. In auctioneer’s box, Michael Weimer
and Horace Backus, pedigrees. Dolly Mitcheltree is on the
halter. This Tradition daughter is currently milking 90 pounds
per day and sold for $5200.
bership roster, it becomes evident
that Maryland’s impact upon the
dairy industry is nationally
recognize. Lifetime members who
payed the one time fee of $lO
hail from New York, Penn
sylvania, Connecticut, Missouri,
Florida, Arizona, Ohio, Kentucky,
Virginia, Wisconsin, West
Virginia, Louisiana, and England.
Ridgely said the organization
“sustains itself through mem
bership dues.”
Those interested in becoming a
member of the Maryland dairy
Shrine, or for information on
materials housed there, may write
to: Maryland Dairy Shrine, Box
555 Frederick, Maryland 21701,
milk and 1,135 pounds of fat. This
top consignment has been milking
90 pounds per test for the past
three test.
A 3-year old, she was flushed in
June and as the auctioneers said,
“This is a cow that is going to do
somebody a lot of good.” She was
consigned by James L. Smith and
Howard Hammond of Carry.
The volume buyer was Mark
Thompson of Sugar Grove who
took home nine Holsteins for a total
of $13,575. Raymond Anthony,
Meadville, purchased six and Allen
Farm, Conneaut Lake, Michael
Gillis, and Neil Stewart, Marion
Center, were the other multi
buyers at the sale.
Buyers and consignors were
from Pennsylvania, New York and
Ohio. Michael Weimer of Backus
Associates was the auctioneer
while Horace Backus ran through