Dr. Robert H. Elrod Sr was a lifelong horseman, and his lifetime spanned 100 years. A breeder, exhibitor, horse trader and judge, this post will look at Dr. Elrod and
his horse farm, Ottawa Creek Farm, which began operation in 1929. The last horse he sold was in 1985, the last
horse on the farm died in 2000, three years after he passed away. Most of you probably haven’t heard of Dr.
Elrod, but he was an extraordinary horseman dedicated to his horses. Part one covers the 1930’s and 1940’s, part
two will be the 1950’s and 1960’s and part three will be the remainder of his
life.
Ottawa Creek Farm, Berkey Ohio circa 1935. The original barn has one wing attached.
The second wing was added a few years later.
Dr. Elrod kept a journal book which included all transactions at his farm. After reading his horse journal, which held records from
1929 through his last sale in 1985, it was apparent that Dr. Elrod treated his
horse farm as a business, and was keenly aware of profit and loss. He nearly always operated the year at a
profit. The journal was a fascinating
look at the history of his breeding farm.
Luckily, many of the horses were photographed and had show records so
the journal follows the progression of the farm.
Horse Records, from 1929 through 1985.
Dr. Elrod was born in Cookeville Tennessee on December 5th 1896. His father JC Elrod was a breeder of fine
saddle horses, so he grew up around all phases of the horse industry, from
breeding, to raising colts, training prospects, showing horses and selling a
product. Dr. Elrod always looked totally
comfortable on a horse, as though it was second nature. It probably was since his first horse show
was aboard a five gaited gelding at the age of 6.
Saddlebreds were his forte, but he was also comfortable on a Plantation horse.
By all accounts, had he chosen to be a professional horse
trainer, he would have been a success.
However, a devoted uncle encouraged him to enter the medical field and
he graduated from Vanderbilt Medical School in 1922 at the age of 25. He then came to Toledo, Ohio for his
residency and never left. He found much
opportunity in Toledo, and became the corporate physician for the Toledo based
firms of Autolite and Surface Combustion.
This was in addition his private practice and being the chief of surgery
at The Toledo Hospital.
Rob Roy was a jumper in the early 30's.
While in Toledo, Dr. Elrod met his future wife Martha. She was also a horse enthusiast, and after
her graduation from the University of Michigan, they married around 1927. In 1929, they purchased a farm located west
of Toledo along the Ten Mile Creek which flowed into the Ottawa River. The farm included a dairy barn and a
residence used for his farm employees.
As time went on, two wings were added to the main barn, which provided a
central aisle in which to work horses.
As work was progressing, Dr. Elrod’s horses were kept in Toledo at the
Toledo Saddle & Bridle Club located by Ottawa Park which is near Toledo
Hospital. Eventually, with the help of
friends and nurses riding his string of horses approximately 12 miles, the
horses were moved to the new farm in the early 1930’s and Ottawa Creek Farm was
established.
Martha Elrod and Bob Elrod in 1929
Mrs. Elrod with Bob & Betty in 1931.
Mrs. Elrod in 1934
Dr. Elrod was a great horse trader, and bought horses from
George Gwinn, Chester Caldwell and many of his contemporaries. Sometimes he flipped them fairly quickly,
other horses he kept as breeding stock for the rest of their lives. Here are some of his horses from the 1930's and 1940's.
The 1930's
Betty Elrod and Goldie in the late 1930's
Bob Elrod and friend on High Speed in 1938.
Captain Strutter was acquired through a trade in 1937.
He was unregistered and sold in 1939 for $600.
Dr. Elrod listed profit and loss in his journal, but
it only included the cost of the purchase and sale.
Feed costs, training costs and labor costs were not
taken into consideration.
Doctor Dare was a stallion that Dr. Elrod admired.
He was a grandson of Chester Dare.
He owned several of his colts.
Lee Rose McDonald was another stallion that Dr. Elrod favored.
He had several offspring and also stood his son Grey Mac.
Although he never owned him, Dr. Elrod had his official registration papers
along with his picture. He's best known as the sire of Sweetheart on Parade.
Another favorite was San Juan and Dr. Elrod owned many of his get.
He was sired by San Vicente by Rex Peavine
and he was owned for several years by James Marker of Columbus Ohio.
Dr. McChord by McDonald Peavine, was purchased as
a 3 year old in 1932 from WD Mountjoy and the Kentucky Sale Co.
He was the first stallion Dr. Elrod advertised.
Dr. Elrod and friend Bill Curran in 1938 at Muncie, Indiana show.
Bill Curran was a trainer in the Ohio area for many years.
Ethel's Rose was sired by Peavine's Highland Chief, a top stallion
in the 1930's. Purchased in 1936, she sold in 1940 then was repurchased in 1946.
She died in 1950 without any production record.
Hallelujah Girl was listed on Dr. Elrod's horse inventory in 1934.
She foaled in 1931 and was sired by Halleluia Mc.
She sold in 1939 for $250.
Hayden Lee Rose was sired by Lee Rose McDonald
and shown by Dr. Elrod in 5 gaited classes.
Purchased in 1936 for $350 as a 3 year old prospect,
he sold for $2250 in 1940.
Lee Star, another colt by Lee Rose McDonald is shown here
showing in hand in Lansing Michigan.
His dam, Mattie Bourbon, was by Bourbon Star and out of
Mattie McB, a full sister to Bourbon Star.
Meadow Mist was also by Bourbon Star, and her 2nd dam
was Mattie McB. Dr. Elrod showed her in 5 gaited classes
in 1937 and 1938. She sold in 1938 for $2000.
Royal San was sired by San Juan and purchased from
his breeder, James Marker of Blendon Farms in 1938.
Here he is being shown by Martha Elrod.
Royal San and Dr. Elrod at Muncie Indiana in 1939
Nifty Lady and Dr. Elrod.
She was sired by Doctor Dare and purchased in 1932
as a yearling for $125. She sold as a 4 year old for $1800.
Nifty Lady in 1938, after she had been sold.
Tiger San, yet another colt by San Juan.
This photo shows the retouching done to remove the crowd
from the background. Tiger San sold in 1941 as a 5 year old at 10 times his original price.
His nickname was Trigger.
Zealous, foaled in 1928 was by My Own Rex Dare.
She was purchased in 1932 as a broodmare for $90.
She died in 1951 at age 23 after producing at least 9 colts
for Dr. Elrod. This color photo was from 1932.
1940's
Ottawa Commander, one of the early horses with the
Ottawa prefix on its name. He was sired by Grey Mac
and out of one of Dr. Elrod's broodmares by San Juan.
Ottawa's Headliner is shown here by JR Ragsdale,
one of Dr. Elrod's trainers. This unregistered horse was
sired by Grey Mac and out of a Standardbred mare, very
similar breeding to Sweetheart of Parade. This horse sold for $9500
to Oscar Smith of Carolanne Farm in Virginia. Mr. Smith
also owned such greats as WGC's America Beautiful and Moreland Maid.
Ottawa's Mastermind was a full brother to Ottawa Commander.
This bay gelding was foaled in 1944 and was shown by
Dr. Elrod in 5 gaited classes before being sold by Alan Leavitt
in 1953 for $4500. He made the cover of Saddle & Bridle in June 1954.
Ottawa's Queen of Hearts foaled in 1942 and was sired by Bourbon Genius.
She was purchased along with her dam, by American Ace, in 1945.
Dark McDonald and Dr Elrod in 1942. He was another horse
sired by San Juan. He was purchased from Hugh White for $750 in 1940
as a 2 year old.
Dinamac was sired by Grey Mac and out of a mare by Mercer Rex.
She foaled at the farm in 1943 and sold in 1949.
Genius Mary by King's Genius was purchased as a yearling in 1937.
She sold in 1942 for a nice profit, but was repurchased in 1943.
She sold again in 1943 as part of a trade, but again at a profit.
Genius Mary in 1948 after she had been sold.
Grey Mac, shown here at Lexington with JR Ragsdale in 1943.
Dr. Elrod purchased 1/3 interest in Grey Mac in November of 1939.
There was no notation about purchasing the remaining interest, but he
was shown often and advertised heavily. He remained at Ottawa Creek Farm
as the head stud until his death in 1952 at age 20. Sired by Lee Rose McDonald
and out of Sibyl Byrns by Rexall Prince, he was a Denmark bred stallion.
JR Ragsdale said he adored this horse.
MacMillion was sired by Grey Mac and out of Millionairess.
He is shown here with Bob Elrod Jr in 1945 when Bob was 16
and MacMillion was 7. This is the first colt Bob trained. He
sold in 1946, but no price was listed in the journal.
Prom Trotter, a full sister to Lee Star, foaled in 1934.
(Lee Rose McDonald X Mattie Bourbon)
She was purchased as a yearling in 1935 from Mr. Marker for $389.
She sold in 1939 for $2000.
Prom Trotter in 1940, probably with her new owner.
Red Glow was a 3 gaited chestnut gelding by San Juan.
He was acquired in 1943 at age 4 in a trade for Genius Mary.
He sold for $4000 in 1946.
My Golden Princess shown by Mrs. Martha Elrod
as an 8 year old in 1948.
Whyworry Chieftess in 1943 with her filly by The Genius.
She was purchased from Hugh White, the owner of The Genius,
who was a full brother to Bourbon Genius, Genius of Stonyridge, and Leatherwood King.
Whyworry Chieftess was sired by Chief of Longview. She produced
many colts for Dr. Elrod before being traded to Clyde Richardson in 1950.
Her last colt was sired by the palomino stallion Richardson's Pot O'Gold.
Editor's note:
It took 3 years to get through all the photos, articles, albums, and journal that belonged to the Elrod family. This is a tip of the iceberg, but should give a good look into Dr. Elrod's life and times. Remember, the first decade his farm operated was during the Great Depression. Next up will be the 1950's and 1960's. It starts with Bob Elrod's favorite horse, purchased in the late 40's, but sold in an interesting transaction in 1950.
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