General Timeline of the Historical Accounts of the Iowa Blue
1) Information on John Logsdon and the origin of the breed is noted in three articles from 1955, in Kent Whealy’s account as well as through interviews with John Logston’s grandchildren, John Logston and Michael Moore.
2) W.C. Fenton was credited with the actual naming of the breed, according to Kent Whealy and two articles from the Cedar Rapids Gazette and The Daily Reporter for 1955. John Logsdon sold his flock to W.C. Fenton in 1955 and passed away in 1960.
3) Michael Moore had an old flock of Iowa Blues. These included Herman and 5 hens. Michael obtained his stock from his grandfather, John Logston, who created the breed. The name of John’s wife was Dolly Logston. It appears Herman and his 5 hens were unable to contribute genetically due to infertility issues (assumed to result from their old age).
4) The only fertile flock that remained in the United States was owned by a gentleman named Ransome Bolson. Ransome bought the start of his flock (a cock and nine hens) from Dolly Logston.
5) When Kent Whealy of Seed Savers Exchange began his search for stock, he contacted Michael (1987), who sent him on to Ransome. Kent was able to obtain some eggs from Ransome (1987-88) and had a gentleman named Steve Matter (a hatchery owner) hatch the eggs for him.
6) Steve also obtained some of the chicks that he hatched out and maintained a small flock for a short time (it appears that Steve did not have a strong regard for the breed and was limited in his enthusiasm or promotion of the birds).
7) Kent went on to spread the birds that he and Steve owned. A short while later Kent and Michael traded stock. Kent gave 10 young birds (from the Ransome line), for Michael’s “Herman” and the two remaining hens. Michael indicated that these 10 birds were given back to Kent after a short while, and he currently does not have any Iowa Blues.
8) Nothing was hatched from Herman and his hens after they were traded, and at this time Kent began to breed for the least aggressive cocks (out of his Ransome birds). As a result fertility dropped drastically.
9) Kent gave his flock to Glenn Drowns of Sandhill Preservation to continue work with the breed.
10) Early on Glenn gave some stock to a gentleman named Lee Zook who raised them for a while, but wasn’t interested in continuing with them. Lee can’t remember what happened to his stock.
11) Steve sold some stock to a gentleman named Phil Roe in Illinois. About 19 years ago, Phil experienced a disease outbreak which left him with only a few hens. At that time, Glenn was down to 1 purebred rooster, so Phil gave his hens to Glenn. Phil is currently the last person we know of who received stock from Steve and we know not what happened to Steve or his flock. He was able to provide us with color photos of his Iowa Blues.
12) A gentleman named Bobby Lewis obtained some stock around 1993-1994 from Joe France of Roanoke VA. He had obtained birds from Glenn Drowns a few years before this (and before they were out-crossed to other breeds for vigor - see 14).
13) Jere Gettle, owner of Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co., had a flock of Iowa Blues from Glenn Drowns obtained prior to outside crosses being made. A photograph of Jere Gettle's flock of Iowa Blues is listed on Feathersite.com of a cock with his hens.
14) Of Michael, Kent, Steve, Glenn, Lee, Phil, and Jere, the only one who still has stock, is Glenn.
15) In order to increase fertility, Glenn added in Silver Penciled Rock x Campine and Silver Penciled Rock x Fayoumi crosses gradually into his Iowa Blues. It is these crosses that introduced the birchen pattern into the Iowa Blues.
16) In the late 1990's Ideal hatchery bought some of the Iowa Blue x Silver Penciled x Campine crosses and began to develop them into a distinct birchen type. These were released to the public in the first decade of the 21st century.
17) Ransome Bolson is now deceased, but his widow, Constance Bolson (88), is still alive. She was contacted and knew only that Iowa Blues were Ransome's project, but did remember Kent coming out and working with Ransome. Two of Ransome's sons, Loryl and Daryl Bolson have also been contacted.
2) W.C. Fenton was credited with the actual naming of the breed, according to Kent Whealy and two articles from the Cedar Rapids Gazette and The Daily Reporter for 1955. John Logsdon sold his flock to W.C. Fenton in 1955 and passed away in 1960.
3) Michael Moore had an old flock of Iowa Blues. These included Herman and 5 hens. Michael obtained his stock from his grandfather, John Logston, who created the breed. The name of John’s wife was Dolly Logston. It appears Herman and his 5 hens were unable to contribute genetically due to infertility issues (assumed to result from their old age).
4) The only fertile flock that remained in the United States was owned by a gentleman named Ransome Bolson. Ransome bought the start of his flock (a cock and nine hens) from Dolly Logston.
5) When Kent Whealy of Seed Savers Exchange began his search for stock, he contacted Michael (1987), who sent him on to Ransome. Kent was able to obtain some eggs from Ransome (1987-88) and had a gentleman named Steve Matter (a hatchery owner) hatch the eggs for him.
6) Steve also obtained some of the chicks that he hatched out and maintained a small flock for a short time (it appears that Steve did not have a strong regard for the breed and was limited in his enthusiasm or promotion of the birds).
7) Kent went on to spread the birds that he and Steve owned. A short while later Kent and Michael traded stock. Kent gave 10 young birds (from the Ransome line), for Michael’s “Herman” and the two remaining hens. Michael indicated that these 10 birds were given back to Kent after a short while, and he currently does not have any Iowa Blues.
8) Nothing was hatched from Herman and his hens after they were traded, and at this time Kent began to breed for the least aggressive cocks (out of his Ransome birds). As a result fertility dropped drastically.
9) Kent gave his flock to Glenn Drowns of Sandhill Preservation to continue work with the breed.
10) Early on Glenn gave some stock to a gentleman named Lee Zook who raised them for a while, but wasn’t interested in continuing with them. Lee can’t remember what happened to his stock.
11) Steve sold some stock to a gentleman named Phil Roe in Illinois. About 19 years ago, Phil experienced a disease outbreak which left him with only a few hens. At that time, Glenn was down to 1 purebred rooster, so Phil gave his hens to Glenn. Phil is currently the last person we know of who received stock from Steve and we know not what happened to Steve or his flock. He was able to provide us with color photos of his Iowa Blues.
12) A gentleman named Bobby Lewis obtained some stock around 1993-1994 from Joe France of Roanoke VA. He had obtained birds from Glenn Drowns a few years before this (and before they were out-crossed to other breeds for vigor - see 14).
13) Jere Gettle, owner of Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co., had a flock of Iowa Blues from Glenn Drowns obtained prior to outside crosses being made. A photograph of Jere Gettle's flock of Iowa Blues is listed on Feathersite.com of a cock with his hens.
14) Of Michael, Kent, Steve, Glenn, Lee, Phil, and Jere, the only one who still has stock, is Glenn.
15) In order to increase fertility, Glenn added in Silver Penciled Rock x Campine and Silver Penciled Rock x Fayoumi crosses gradually into his Iowa Blues. It is these crosses that introduced the birchen pattern into the Iowa Blues.
16) In the late 1990's Ideal hatchery bought some of the Iowa Blue x Silver Penciled x Campine crosses and began to develop them into a distinct birchen type. These were released to the public in the first decade of the 21st century.
17) Ransome Bolson is now deceased, but his widow, Constance Bolson (88), is still alive. She was contacted and knew only that Iowa Blues were Ransome's project, but did remember Kent coming out and working with Ransome. Two of Ransome's sons, Loryl and Daryl Bolson have also been contacted.
