Francis L. Kellogg (1917 – 2006) and the BEDFORD line of Dexters (1949 – 2004) By Carol Davidson

Mr. Kellogg’s contribution to the national herd is not common knowledge. A prominent New Yorker, a philanthropist, and an international society figure with of exceptional military and public service to his credit, in 1949, Mr. Kellogg imported a bull and two cows from Lady Loder’s Grinstead herd to his Mill Pond farm in upper state New York. Lady Loder named the bull ‘Ambassador’ in honor of Mr. Kellogg’s position with the United Nations.

With the addition of some Atlantic animals, he kept a closed herd and registered his Dexters in both England and America. In 1972 he was called overseas on UN business, so reduced his herd to females only, later buying a bull from his friend Mabel Ingalls (Clove Brook Herd) and breeding on. Between 1990 and 1993, Mr. Kellogg sold most of his Dexters to Carol Davidson, who worked to maintain the bloodline, as Grinstead-related animals in England were down to a few with 1/8 blood. The Bedford line produced exceptional quality and more importantly, it produced animals of strong genetic consistency: A trait not always common in Dexters.

In 1999, the Bedfords and many of their Hiyu offspring were exported to New Zealand (isolated location and strong interest in protecting the gene pool), because in North America at the time, general interest in the line’s protection was slight.

In 2004, Mr. Kellogg sold off his remaining (now unregistered) Dexters due to ill health. The honorable Mr. Kellogg was a Life Member of the ADCA.

Francis Kellogg and son Chris Kellogg
Palm Beach FL in 2005