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Butler, Ross
1907 - 1995
Born on a farm near Norwich, Ross later resided near Woodstock, Ontario. Ross was a man of many trades as a farmer, pioneer in the science of artificial insemination, Jersey cow and poultry breeder, photographer, songwriter, painter, sculptor and a founder of the Oxford Museum (now the Woodstock Museum). The Canadian Jersey Association accepted his hexagonal drawing as a trademark and used it on posters, decals and milk-bottle caps, until updated by him 50 years later. In 1933 the Holstein Friesian Association paid him three dollars for a painting of Woodstock's famous cow "Springbank Snow Countess" world champion lifetime butterfat producer. The original painting of this cow continues to hang in the association's new Brantford, Ontario head office. A cast was also made from this painting and in 1937 a statue was made. It is now a famous tourist attraction in Woodstock and is the symbol of the Dairy Capital of Canada. An example of his sculpturing career and a highlight of the Canadian National Exhibition in 1952 was a life-size butter sculpture of Queen Elizabeth and her horse, Winston. The butter image was one of 14 he created. Ross was inducted into both the Canadian Agriculture and Ontario Agriculture Halls of Fame. He is laid to rest at the Presbyterian Cemetery, on Vansittart Avenue in Woodstock.
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