"It is but thirty years since Dalton, Oulton and Rayner of Prince Edward Island made their real beginning in silver black fox. With mink a beginning was made seventy years ago and then lost for fifty years. A mink herd was developed near Richmond Hill on the property of Patterson Brothers, Implement Manufacturers of a century ago. The property where this first real attempt at domesticating mink took place is now part of the establishment known as Don Head Farms, owned by Mr. J. D. Patterson, who as a boy did part of the work in caring for the one-hundred and thirty mink kept at that time. No fur bearers are now kept on this farm, but it does support the finest flock of Southdown sheep in America."
      The U.S. Fur Rancher reprinted in January 1977 an article by J. Mason Reynolds that appeared in the Grand Rapids (Michigan) Eagle in February 1870 which said in part "I will now give an account of one of the several minkeries I have visited. This (minkerie) is located near Toronto, Canada, and is under the supervision of one Conger, an old and experienced hunter.
      "The grounds contain an acre of land enclosed by a tight boarding six or seven feet in height. Within this is a pond which is fed by water pipes from a neighboring river. At one side of this park, a building has been erected for breeding purposes; this is a long and low structure, some thirty feet by ten.
      "Along the whole length of the building on either side is a series of boxes with wire gauze tops which furnish air and light. The boxes or cages are situated upon the floor. In the back part of each of these cages are two little bedrooms, which the unmarried mink undoubtedly consider a very modest arrangement.
      "Through the front runs a continuous trough furnished with a constant supply of running water. At the back of the cage between the two boxes is a small door opening into the yard. I noticed that sawdust was scattered about the floor. The boards of the enclosure must be sunk in the ground a foot or two, the latter depth an invariable protection against the escape of the animals by digging.
      "The mink is a scavenger and a glutton. Nothing appears to be too awful for his palate. Refuse of butcher shops, entrails, and all sorts of carnivorous food, especially liver, make up for him a bill of fare most acceptable - and if a little putrid, all the better.
      "The mink is as tough as an Indian but after a season becomes as playful as a kitten. I saw them frolic about Conger and caper over his shoulder like monkeys in a menagerie, their deep set bullet eyes twinkling like diamonds."

"Where does one start in getting information on someone as far back as 1866? No one I talked to in mink ranching circles could recall hearing of the Pattersons. First of all, I asked Bob Garbutt at the Ontario Agricultural Museum who has a store-house of knowledge on the agricultural community in Ontario. He steered me to several sources of information including an historian for Vaughan Township, Mr. Snider, who in turn gave me several other people I might contact.
      "I must have talked to a dozen people but none could recall reading about the Pattersons raising mink. Not one to give up easily, I visited the library in Richmond Hill, north of Toronto and spent several hours reading about the thriving industry the Pattersons had built up in the area. They were the first to manufacture agricultural implements in eastern Canada, and were well known in various parts of the world where they shipped such equipment. No where could I see mink mentioned in these articles.
      "Not satisfied, I proceeded to the Don Head Farm which was establish-ed by the Pattersons and under present ownership widely known for their Jersey cattle and Southdown sheep. On talking with the owner, Mr. Ernest Redelmeier, who was well acquainted with the history of the farm, he could not recall mention of them raising mink. I was just about to leave his office when one of the veterinarians on his staff wondered if a former resident in the area, Mr. Harry Charles, might be able to shed some light on the subject. I was told that Mr. Charles recently had a stroke and presently was at a home for the aged in Newmarket and it was problematical whether his health would allow him to be interviewed.
      "As this was my last resort, I went to Newmarket where the staff at the home were quite helpful in arranging an interview with Mr. Charles. For his age, some ninety years, and despite his condition, he was quite bright. I was able to talk with him for a short while, but in that time he recalled seeing the location on the Patterson Farm where the mink had been kept. He was born on the farm and he recalled his father telling him about the mink and confirmed the story about Mr. Conger tending the animals.
      "Pursuing the matter further, I learned that Allanson Powell Conger lived at Wildwood which formed part of the Patterson Brothers property. In addition to looking after the mink he worked as an iron moulder for them."