Chester Purdy loved horses. From 1948 until his death in 1954, he owned the largest band of Morgan horses in Oregon. At this same time he owned more Quarter horses than Morgans. His ranch was located in the Lorane Valley near Cottage Grove, Oregon. It was built by Adolf Spreckels, Spreckels Sugar Company. It had a regulation race track, large roomy barn, rock quarry, a creek running through, and miles of pasture. It is still there in excellent shape after all these years.

 

May 16, 1948, he purchased the 3 year old mares, bay Alenus 06734 (Gay Mac X Alenia) and chestnut Money Bags 06732 (Gay Mac x Marie Ro), and the very upheaded, typey stallion Brown Mac 9308 (Gay Mac X Roberta Ro). Brown Mac’s sire Gay Mac (Mansfield x Dewdrop) having been sold in 1942 for the unheard price of $7500.

These 3 Morgans must have cemented his love for the Morgan because on October 10, 1948, he was the most active bidder at the Northridge, California

sale paying top price for the young stallion Glen’s Morgan 9056 (Glendale x Cora by King de Jarnette). He acquired 9 mares and 5 colts that day and trucked them back to his beautiful ranch in the Lorane Valley near Cottage Grove, Oregon.

Mr. Purdy was in the logging business, but contrary to popular brief he did not log with his Morgans. He was also in the Rodeo business and used and advertised his Morgans as ranch horses, rodeo and rope horses, trail, posse and pleasure mounts as well.

At the California sale in 1948, he bought the Gay Mac yearling daughters Gay Ann 07295, Laurinda 07247, Berta M. 97298, and the 2 year old Hedda 06861, their dams being Querido daughters. He also got 2 excellent 15 year old brood mares in foal, Bessie Ro 04978, who foaled A Good Joe (by Gay Mac), and Phebe 05036, who foaled Joe-Ann 07689 (by Gay Mac). These last 2 mares were bred and raised at the Roland Hill Ranch and were by Querido, their dams being by Red Oak, Sellman’s powerfully built bay stallion in Texas in the 1900’s.

Of the 5 colts Mr. Purdy purchased in the same sale, the 4 year old Glen’s Morgan 9056 was a beautifully bred, classic Brunk stallion. To acquire Glen’s Morgan he paid top price that day in Dr. Brunies consignment. The other 4 were the yearlings Mr. Morgan 9659, Idea 9654, Gov. Comer 9656 and Glidden 9658 all by Easter Parade by Parader by Juban by Jubilee King.

Mr. Purdy later purchased the Blackman mares Lela Linsley, Fern Scott and Sunny Sky, she of Morab Hearst breeding. It is interesting to note that he did not keep these mares preferring to stay with the strong government line breeding to Brown Mac and the Brunk breeding of Glen’s Morgan, using Glidden occasionally.

After Mr. Purdy’s death in 1954, the horses were gradually dispersed by the Estate. As is common in such instances many good Morgans were lost to the breed, but there are some that we are able to trace. Ben and Thelma Langston of Sherwood and later Grants Pass, Oregon, purchased the mares Money bags (Gay Mac X Marie Ro) and Copper Coin (Brown Mac x Money Bags). It is mainly through these mares and Brown Mac that we see the Purdy lineage continue.