Bemidji was known all over Northern Minnesota as the home of some of the fastest horses in the entire Northwest, and horsemen gave this city credit for possessing several lovers of speeders who rank with the best to be found anywhere. Much of the credit for this condition with relation to horses was due to Dr. J. Warninger, Bemidji’s veterinary surgeon, who spent the best years of his life developing pure-bred harness performers that brought a great deal of attention to Bemidji.
Dr. Jacob Warninger was born in Dec 1854 in Germany. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1858. He was practicing his profession in Crookston in 1895 and in Fosston in 1900. Children were daughters, Lillian, Sunol, and Vernesse and one son Harvey.
Dr. Warninger and his wife Mary came to Bemidji in the fall of 1903 with his famous stallion, General Blackford, and then decided to stay in Bemidji permanently. At the time, General Blackford was perhaps the best known horse in the northwest, but after four years of intelligent management by his owner, Dr. J. Warninger, the horse acquired a reputation as a sire of uniform and extreme speed.
It had been Dr, Warninger’s intention to go to Grand Forks with General Blackford but as his veterinary practice did not permit him to leave Bemidji, he kept him at Bemidji for the 1904 season and then advertised, “will stand him at a service fee that will debar none. Service fee will be $20, five dollars cash and fifteen dollars when the mare is known to foal.” General Blackford could be found at Dr. Warninger’s office in the rear of the Arcade saloon on Fourth Street, where he was happy to show him to any interested party.
Dr. Warninger decided to keep General Blackford in Bemidji for the entire season of 1906, which was a treat to breeders of the light harness horse. The American trotter and pacer, General Blackford, had proven himself a great sire. He was the sire of Mixer, record 2:16 at the age of four years with but three months professional training. Mixer was bred by G. P. Francis and foaled in Bemidji.
“This is proof that we can breed as good stock as any in the world if we use good sires and dams. Mixer has stepped quarters faster than a 2:00 gate and is considered by intelligent horsemen the greatest ever bred in the state of Minnesota. Horsemen here also expect great performances from Vonie X, the property of J. J. Jinkinson, also of Bemidji.” (Mar 20, 1906)
Dr. Warninger, Veterinary Surgeon, Third Street, one block west of First National Bank (Mar 20, 1906)
The Crookston Journal reported: “Dr. Warninger of Bemidji is a veteran in the race horse business having done more to introduce blooded fast stock in the valley than any other man, and many of the fine drivers and racers on the Crookston streets are the result of breeders imported by him. (Dec 17, 1907)
Dr. Warninger added another pure-bred sire to the high priced animals already owned in Bemidji in 1908. He purchased “Hamnut,” whose trotting record was 2:29, and kept the animal for breeding purposes. This horse was one of the best sires and noted breeding stallions owned in Minnesota up to that time. Ham Nut was foaled in 1890, and as of 1909, Ham Nut was the only stallion in the state that had sired a world’s champion performer. “Hamnut” was the sire of Roy B.
In addition to tending race horses, Dr. Warninger, also covered the area where ever services were needed. He was called to Laporte in Nov 1908 where he attended to several horses which were jammed while being shipped by the M. & I railway. Dr. Warninger reported that there were seventeen horses in the car which were more or less seriously injured.
In March 1909, Ole Anderson and Dr. Warninger traveled to Hutchinson, in the southern part of the state, where Mr. Anderson purchased a very promising green mare by the name of Lula Blackford from J. C. Hartman, the well known horseman. Lulu Blackford was sired by General Blackford, owned by Dr. Warninger. Mr. Anderson and Dr. Warninger also secured the services of F.T. Donnelly of Minneapolis, a well-known trainer, and opened a public training stable in this city.
In the last decade of his life, he was very interested in prize-winning poultry. In 1917, Dr. Warninger had 18 Buff Rock chickens that he shipped to the Poultry show in Crookston. Among them was the cock, “Woodrow Wilson,” who won the sweepstakes at the Beltrami county poultry show in December 1916, having a score of 93%, scoring half a point more than any other rooster in the show, 375 birds being entered in the show.
The birds were shipped in a coop invented by Dr. Warninger, being a training, shipping and show coop. This crate, which had many advantages in its favor, was manufactured by Dr. Warninger in Bemidji. In shipment, the crates were turned on their side, with the door up, and this protected the birds from the cold. The crates had a handy arrangement for watering and feeding the birds, so that the spilled water and feed fell on the floor instead of remaining in the crate.
Mrs. Warninger, wife of Dr. J. J. Warninger died on August 21, 1919 from complications following an attack of the Spanish influenza. Mary Rauch was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, January 27, 1853, and was married to Dr. Warninger at Winona, Minn., July 21, 1877. They moved to Bemidji in the fall of 1903. Their children, Mrs. Lloyd Smith, of Yakima, Wash,. and Miss Sunol Warninger and one son, Harvey, also of Yakima attended the funeral. Funeral services were held in the German Lutheran church at Bemidji, but burial was at Crookston. Mrs. Smith had been called to Bemidji by the illness of her mother. At the time she received the message of her mother’s serious illness, she was on her honeymoon and immediately left for Bemidji. Mrs. Smith returned to Yakima, Wash., accompanied by her sister, Miss Sunol Warninger, who decided to make her home in the west as well.
Dr. Warninger, Office and Hospital was located two doors west of Troppman’s at 321 Third Street in 1910 and 1920.
Dr. J. Warninger passed away at St. Anthony Hospital in Bemidji on Oct 13, 1920. Funeral services took place in Crookston and burial was in Oakdale Cemetery in Crookston.